You Make Me Retch
by Maggiles
Summary: Bella Swan is an ex thief. Edward is a prince soon to be king. As Bella runs from arrest, she stumbles across Edward. Soon after that, all hell breaks loose in the Kingdom. Can two people who hate eachother fall in love? BXE REVIEWS EQUAL UPDATES!
1. Strange Beginnings

**You Make Me Retch** - Bella Swan is an ex thief, the daughter of a local medicine woman. One day, she decides she had enough and goes back to her old ways. Trying to escape arrest from the royal guards, she unknowingly runs into the royal garden, where King Carslie Cullen and his family rule. There she meets Edward, the mysterious prince soon to be king. From there, all hell breaks loose

Chapter One: Strange Beginnings

By: Maggiles

DISCLAMIMER I in no way own any part of the twilight series.

BELLA

" Birth root... Birth root." Is what I was saying in my head for a good 2 hours. It was a gorgeous day, filled with sunshine and warmth, and what was I doing?

Going off and playing find the medicinal herb!

My name is Isabella Marie Swan. My mom was the prime healer in this huge town, a town filled with riches and exotic cuisine in every corner of the place. My dad was the head honcho guard at the palace, which was a good walking distance away making our town the prime source of trade...and thievery. Of course you couldn't blame me for being a rebellious kid. You see, my parents are _way_ to good for their own sakes. My mom would never charge the full amount for the medicines she made, and sometimes she wouldn't charge at all, making our total profits 0 dollars and 0 cents. My dad was always at the palace, so I never really saw him since I was about 8 years old.

I'm 17 now.

I have a record of thieving on my list of other offenses. Stolen shoes, stolen clothes, heck, even stolen _dishes_. Don't get me wrong. Anything and everything I stole was for my mother and me. The way I saw it, they _belonged_ to us. If we had just charged the people what they owed us, then we could've had the money to_ buy_ what we needed-not steal them. My father always sent everything he made to us, but like I said, this town was full of thieves. And the lot of them? At the palace. Most times, we never even got half of what he sent.

I guess I got caught way to many times, because the last time I got arrested I got a severe warning that if I got caught stealing again, I would be put in the dungeon for 8 years, get beaten, and/or get my hands cut off.

Hmmm...what a list to choose from.

I walked down the dirt road to the market place, scanning every corner for a herb seller. I knew my mother would kill me, especially since we had abosolutley no money to spend, but I thought if I was fast enough, I could pocket some of them quickly, enough for what she wanted to make. I walked by every corner of the place and couldn't find anything useful. That didn't surprise me, since selling herbs was a bit out dated at this lot. For some reason, the market Place seemed _much _more crowded then usual. There were people yelling, and woman whispering and scurrying around. I didn't understand. Was today some sort of festival?

To confirm my suspicions, I causally walked by some gossiping woman nearby and got an earful of whispers.

" Did you hear?

" No, what? Tell me what's happening!"

" King Carisle is finally stepping down and giving the crown to his son!"

" -Gasp- NO!!"

" Yes!"

" Which one?"

" The youngest. Prince Edward."

" What? Why him? Why give it to the youngest?"

" I'm not so sure...but there is another thing!"

" What?"

" Princesses and young respectable woman from every corner of this nation are coming into the palace today. It is to find a bride for Prince Edward!"

" NO!!"

" YES! So dress up my dear, wear the best clothes in your wardrobe! It is possible one of _us_ could be future queen!"

" Aiyeeee! But what do they look like? No one-at least no one I know- has ever seen them. What if they're deformed? Repulsive? Not only them, but the palace! No one has ever been in there and came out to tell."

" Very true. But a friend of my friend once told me that she saw a glimpse of the Royal Cullen's and almost fainted."

" With distress?"

" No my dear, with admiration! She said they were more beautiful then angels themselves in the good heavens! So beautiful, one look could bring you to tears."

" My goodness..."

" And today, the whole country can see them, once and for all!"

I turned away in disgust. Woman like them gave the rest of us a bad name. Marrying for money, yet still wanting something good to look at for the rest of their lives. Though I hated to admit it, my body burned with curiosity. The mysterious Cullen family. No one but a few people have ever seen them, and rumors of their looks spread like wildfire. In no time, however, so many rumors flew by that no one really believed in them anymore. This could be a good chance to see for myself...

No. I shook my head. I needed to stay on task. Birth root...Birth root...

I sighed. "Come on..." I cursed under my breath, shaking my head. Looks like I needed to get it the old fashioned way...

Birth root was a fairly new herb to me. I had never seen it before, and that was saying a lot, since the day of my birth I was taught to do nothing but live and breath everything that grew from the good mother earth. Supposedly, it was a heck of a powerful antiseptic, but it's sting was unbearably painful.

To make it more appealing, it could only be found on Dead Mans Cliff. Lovely name, don't you think? It got that title a century ago, when supposedly twenty men threw themselves off the edge, probably drunk or just crazy. People say that if you stay there past midnight, you could hear their frightful screams and a pair of invisible hands would push you off the edge.

... And of course, that's where I was to go.

It's no secret that I was the most gravity challenged girl in the nation. I could not walk two feet without tripping on something, and the idea of going to the edge of a cliff for a little flower was not far from insane. Renee had a heart attack just asking me for the task, but I promised I would be just fine and come back in one piece. I knew that she didn't believe me, but I lied the best I could. I felt a bit guilty, for there was another reason I wanted to get out of the house. It was to see a boy I was head over heels in love with.

A boy named Jacob Black.

Jacob was my partner in crime since I could remember. We were the best of friends, and I secretly harbored a crush on him for a good eight years. I loved everything about him. From the way his dark hair swept over his face, the way his body was perfectly toned from working the whole day, and how his dark eyes always seemed to be laughing. I thought about him whenever I could.

But something strange had been happening in the past three weeks. I had barley gotten to see him, and when I did, he seemed different. More grown up and cold. Not to mention the increase of thievery in the market. Something told me he had a part in it.

I kept walking down the path, to the spot where he and I had planned to meet. Soon, I had stopped in front of a decent sized oak tree. A tree me and him had planted together oh so many years ago.

Before I could recollect my thoughts, a pair of strong arms lifted me at the waist and twirled me around.

A big smile found it's way to my lips and a huge laugh escaped my throat.

" JACOB!"

" Haha, Hey Bells! Didja miss me?" he yelled eagerly as he set me down. I laughed again, and for some reason I couldn't stop smiling. That happened a lot when I was with Jacob.

When my feet touched the ground I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his chest. It was sweltering warm.

" I missed you more then you could imagine, you big ape!" I joked as I released him. We stared at each other for long time, just smiling like a pair of idiots, and if I could, would stare at him the whole day.

His eyebrows wiggled mischievously, a habit of his which I had grown to love.

" Ape, huh?" he suddenly said with fake boredom, " Very original, but you can do better then that."

I pouted. " I happen to think that ape fits perfectly. You're both hairy, slightly intelligent, and love the outdoors."

His arms suddenly grabbed me at the waist, pinning me there. That was another thing that had changed about Jacob. He had grown more bold, more daring. A few weeks ago he would never have touched me so intimately. Sometimes, his cocky attitude drove me crazy.

I blushed against my will as his face came dangerously close to mine. His eyes stared into my chocolate colored ones as he whispered," Ape? Heh, Come on Bells, look at me. Do I look like an ape to you?"

My heart started pounding. Stupid, stupid reflexes!

" Ya..." I tried laughing, "Maybe you're right. At least monkeys have manners. You're more like a dog. "

He laughed, a nice low chuckling sound. It was very warm. He smiled.

" Close...very close." he whispered under his breath, but I caught it.

" Hmmm?" I looked questioningly at him, but he shrugged it off.

" So...let's go get that birth root." he said sternly, all smiles from his face replaced with a fake frown.

" Yes sir!" I laughed, as I saluted him. I could tell this was going to be a good day...

How wrong I was.

Edward

" Carisle, this is completely insane! Why would you _ever_ propose something of this magnitude without my consent?"

I stared at my 'father' with as much control as I could. He had a lot of explaining to do.

Carisle sighed, running a hand through his hair.

" Edward-" he said, trying to use his calm voice in a vain attempt to settle me, but I wouldn't have it.

" An ENGAGEMNT?!" I bellowed. " Have you lost your mind? _How_ can you see this as a solution for this predicament?"

" Edward-"

" As if giving ME the crown would do _anything_. We had made an agreement on YOUR part, many, MANY years ago that we were never to show our palace _or _our faces to the people. It would be safer, you said, too many questions would arise, you said. And now you're giving a free-for-all to the whole nation! Completely absurd!"

And it was true. The Cullen family was far from normal-or safe.

We were vampires.

The elite.

The wise.

The feared.

The eternally damned.

My mind was going crazy with thoughts and memories as I was filled with nothing but complete and utter rage. A rage I had not felt since I first met Carisle and his dreams of ruling a nation without war, without violence. Something that was completely unknown to our species. We could never age.

We could never sleep.

We could never eat...except the blood of humans and animals.

Ruling a nation was hard enough. Keeping questions about us unanswered was even harder.

Why we never revealed ourselves to the people.

How we never needed food to be brought into the palace.

How a man who is supposedly over a century old could look like a man in his late 20's, _dammit!_

" Edward, if you would just listen-"

"NO! Carisle, we had agreed that I would not take the crown from you. We agreed on that on my part, and equally on yours...and to change the subject to an even more vial matter,_ how_ can I POSSIBLY keep a wife? Have you forgotten what we_ are?_ An idea such as that is from a mad man! The moment I take her hand she will have lost an arm. What were you _thinking_?- Never mind. This can easily be undone. The news might not have spread very far...send the guards! Take down the posters and send a representative to the town square and make an announcement that the engagement search is annulled, do to unexpected problems-truth being you found your senses- and everything will be fine."

I panted, my sudden outburst and racing thoughts strangely tiring to me. Perhaps it's because I haven't done it in such a long time.

After a moment, I stared back at Carisle with a triumphant smirk on my face, _sure_ that I had won the battle.

But a cloud of doubt hung over me. Carisle was one of the _very_ rare people that my mind reading abilities had no affect on. Give me anyone, anywhere, and I could tell you _exactly_ what they were thinking. It came in handy quite often in court. I could tell who was lying, what was being left unsaid, if a person had other motives then he would let on...etc.

But with Carisle...it was different. He was always _very_ careful with his thoughts around me. He would never think of anything that would help me confirm and idea or thought I had. It was very frustrating. But this time, I thought I had gotten him. That my common sense at our survival would have gotten to him. I waited for his reply.

" Are you finished?" he asked calmly, no hint of change in his voice.

I waited, nodding slightly.

" Very well then. Alice had seen something."

My body tensed. With no reason other than instinct, every hair on my body stood up, ready for battle. This was not good. My sister, Alice, much like me, had an impressive ability.

She could see the future.

This came in handy more often then my skill, and was much more of an asset. In fact, it was the main reason we had been able to keep in power for so long in peace. Any thoughts or plans of over rule or rebellion she would see, and we would stop it before it happened. But she rarely shared with us what she would see in her visions. If it was not of utmost importance, she wouldn't bother alarming anyone. The simple fact that chose to share this, especially with Carisle, meant she felt threatened.

" Calm down Edward." he said composed, much like before, " Let me explain before you decide to attack the furniture."

I rolled my eyes, and very slowly, put down my defenses. My snarl, however, could not be helped. It stayed where it was.

Carisle continued. " Alice saw the rival group of our kind edging closer to our borders. In no less then a month, they will break through and come for us."

I contemplated what he said. This news was not new to me. Alice had told us about them a while ago, and we were putting up our best defenses. "We'll be ready by then." I said smugly, full of confidence, " In a month we can easily prepare for battle. There has not been a foe yet we haven't conquered."

Carisle seemed unfazed by my confidence." That's not the only danger she has seen."

My eyes narrowed. What else could there be? What else was there that we could not handle?

" ...she has seen a new pack. Something that she can't define as anything yet, but they are neither human nor vampire. They are of a different species."

I paused. "Does she feel they are a threat?"

The room was silent for a moment, not a sound penetrating the walls as Carisle stayed perfectly still thinking to himself. I mentally groaned. I knew I shouldn't have, but as always there was an invisible wall of other thoughts around his mind.

Thoughts, I shuddered to myself, involving a big yellow ball and bath water.

" No..." he finally whispered, his answer uneven but confident, " She said they're not a threat... quite yet. But we should look out in the near future."

I opened my mouth to say something, but he interrupted me.

" And now to answer you're earlier questions."

Anything I was about to say, I shut my mouth.

I waited, impatient.

" You must find a wife."

" WH-"

" YOU MUST FIND HER IN A WEEK. Having a wife will stop any questions about me stepping down from the throne. I must step down because I will be gone in the next month or so to our allies in the north. Of course, we will be able to think of a more dramatic reason then that, I'm sure. Humans seem to like distress better then the truth. I will explain our situation and persuade them to help us. This should not be a problem, but while I'm gone, I need someone I can trust to fill in my place-temporarily of course."

My eyebrows raised. " Why must I have a wife-a _human_ one at that? And why must _I_ be your successor? You have two more sons Carisle, I'm sure you realize."

A smile tugged on his lips. " Very observant Edward." he said unusually smug, " I wouldn't put it past you to think of reasons to excuse yourself. You must obtain a human wife to win the trust of the people. If there does happen to be a war between the rival tribe and us, we cannot have the court rebel against us on top of that. I'm sure you understand that to be a successful King you must at least_ attempt_ to keep your people alive."

I rolled my eyes at his response. True, some of it made sense. But...

" Why does it have to me?" I asked, annoyance in my voice, " Jasper and Emmet have Rosalie and Alice. They practically _are_ married-just make it official. The people might have more trust in a royal engagement then a forced one."

Carisle was quick to answer back. His tone was sharp. " I have more trust in you, Edward. Next to me, you are the oldest in this family. True, to the human eye you are still young, but you have years of experience. Your mind is much more mature and strategic then that of Emmet and Jasper. Also...you have the most control."

I winced. Over the last century, Carisle and I had honed our skills in controlling our burning thirst for human blood. The rest of our family was not far behind us, but still prone to a slip up here and there. It made sense that I would be the one chosen for such a task. A murdered queen sucked dry _would_ make quite an interesting headline.

" So you see Edward, there really is no other choice. The news of your bride search has most likely reached the ends of the nation by now. At no later then 5pm today, there will be lines of woman lined up for you. All you must do is find the one you think you can live with for a month."

Carisle's voice shook me from my thoughts as I shot an icy glare at him. I didn't care what his reasons, or if they were right or not. I was not going to sacrifice everything we had worked for in a matter of a month. Could he not see how vastly different we were to the humans? How whichever girl I chose would surely know something was at odd with our family? He had not weighed out the pros and cons of his decision, but _I_ certainly had.

" No matter what your reason.." I trailed off, eyes piercing into his venomously, " I will _not_ consent!"

In a blink of an eye, I was gone.


	2. Surprise Meeting

**You Make Me Retch**

Chapter 2: Surprise Meeting

By: Maggiles

**_BELLA_**

I ran as fast as I could.

Bumping into people, jumping over baskets, things I normally did when I ran for my life. As I looked back, I saw 5 red faced guards speeding behind me. My heart cringed.

I was dead.

" BELLA!"

I turned my head around and saw Jacob running to my side with absolutely no hint of fatigue. Another storage change in him. He would never get tired anymore. Doing anything.

" Jacob!" I almost snarled, " This is all your fault you big dog!"

He bellowed with laughter. " Hey, I didn't tell you to just _grab_ the damn apple Bella. I told you to _steal_ it."

A blush found it's way to my cheeks. I haven't stolen for so long, I guess I was a bit rusty. Normally, I wouldn't have stolen anything. Not anymore. But when I was with Jacob, I didn't think as normally as I could-should. Now I was going to be dead meat.

" BELLA!" Jacob yelled, even though he was keeping good pace with me, " Got your knife?"

A light bulb lit up in my head as I reached for the dagger my father had given me last time I saw him. In my stealing days, I used it to beat up any witnesses or guards. Never kill-just knock out.

" Ya! I do." I said, my voice coming out in rants as my breath quickly evaporated.

Jacob seemed to sense that I couldn't run any further. We looked back and saw the guards coming closer at us. Jacob's eyes narrowed as a big smile found its way to his lips.

" Bella! I'll go this way, and you go the other way. If we split up, maybe there won't be as many guards after you. No offense, but I look a _hefty_ amount more dangerous..."

I didn't even hear him. My only priority was to run. My chest was burning with pain, my body screaming at me to stop and rest. I almost felt like throwing up-and to make matters worse, I didn't even get the damn birth root!

I was shaking with fatigue as I warily looked for Jacob...but he vanished. I looked back and saw two of the original five guards chasing me.

A faint smile played on my lips as I thanked Jacob and the heavens for sending him to me, even though this _was_ all his fault. I didn't worry too much about him. One of the good things about his changes, apart from the still even worse things, was that he was a lot stronger. Even faster. He could take care of himself.

Right now however, I needed to take care of me and hide. Jacob's distraction had set the guards a good 12 feet more behind me. As an ex convict, I knew that this was gold in finding a resting place. My eyes scanned my surroundings. I looked down at the ground, close to exhaustion. But before I could put out, my eyes got a glimpse of something shiny. Silver outlined the path I was running.

What the hell...?

I quickly maneuvered my way through different directions, hidden paths, any where I could run to lose the guards and buy more time. I had no idea where I was heading, since I had never ventured to this particular part of town. But one thing I was certain of was that it must have been a rich part of town, since the sidewalk was still laced with silver lining.

Minutes passed by like seconds. My legs were trembling with exhaustion, ready to combust, but the footsteps behind me confirmed that I was not in the clearing...just yet.

My eyes caught a small opening in a giant bush, just big enough for me to squeeze through. I whimpered in pain as I forced myself through, thorns and twigs puncturing and scratched my skin. Perhaps this would buy me a few more minutes.

At that point, all I could think about was Renee killing me for coming back scraped and bleeding.

I kept running, more like a wheezy jog, till something amazing appeared in front of me.

I looked ahead and saw a _huge_ jewel encrusted gate getting closer and closer to me.. .I had never seen something so _splendid _looking. Where the hell was I going?

" HURRY AND CATCH HER BEFORE SHE ENTERS! SHE MUST NOT GO INSIDE!!"

I heard a guard shriek behind me, screaming the order to anyone near him. Where ever I was heading, it must have been pretty special to make an officer scream like a girl.

Before I could contemplate my location anymore, I reached the gate with it's sparkling jewels and gold encrustations. I stared in awe. If I could grab just _one_ jewel...me and my mom would be set for a good five years.

And that's living in luxury.

Grunts and shill bellows brought me back to my current situation as I saw the guards getting closer. Oh well, couldn't think about stealing jewels now.

Thanking God that I knew how, I quickly and masterfully climbed over the gate, landing in the safety of a huge and beautiful garden.

And when I took it all in, I was speechless.

I had never seen anything as glorious as what I was seeing now. Hundreds of trees outlined the place, all covered in fruits, nuts, and sweet smelling blossoms. Rose bushes, lily patches, ponds with magnificent fountains absolutely _littered_ the place, all shining with gold laced decors as far as your eyes could see. I stared in amazement.

" HEY!! _**HEY!**_! GET _**IN**_ THERE YOU FOOLS! ARREST HER AT ONCE!"

I felt like I had been slapped. I awoke from my trance ,dazed, as the guards yells brought me back to my situation. I quickly threw myself behind a tree as I heard the gate rattling and curses being cried out from frustrated officials.

"HURRY AND GET THE KEYS, YOU _**FOOLS!!**_"

Trodding feet and hushed yells confirmed that the guards had left for a short time. I held my breath just to make sure.

Nothing.

In a sudden movement, I collapsed on the ground, heaving heavily for air. My knees trembled, my body shook, and my chest was _burning_ with excruciating pain. If it wasn't for the sounds of the guards returning, I would've fainted on the spot.

But being an ex thief had it's perks. I had _killer _instincts, my body adapting to the ever changing environment.

I flew back to my feet- with a little trouble- and searched frantically for some kind of refuge. As the noises grew louder, so did my heart, and I was almost certain I would have died from a panic attack...

...If a _different_ noise hadn't caught my attention. It was very small, but I guess the danger I was in made my senses more acute. A small rock of some sort had been dropped-or thrown- from the trees. It was probably a small squirrel or something-that piece of information didn't particularly matter to me at the moment-butwhat it _hit _was of more value.

A tiny, little storage shack. It blended in _perfectly_ with it's surroundings, a hidden refuge in such chaos. I smiled like a moron as I ran with all the strength I had left, prying the door open and rushing inside.

I looked around quickly. There were gardening tools by the dozen, cob webs and cracks everywhere. My eyes scanned as speedily as they could and _alas_!

A chest! There was a small chest at the end of the shack, very old, and made out of a fair red maple wood. I heard the gate being opened as footsteps rushed in, rifles began loading and orders were yelled out.

" FIND HER AT ONCE! SHE COULD NOT HAVE GONE FAR!"

My heart pounded with notable pain as I hurried to open the chest, squeezing my body as much as I could in order to fit inside. I silently thanked my being poor. If it wasn't for that, there was no way I could've fit in such a tiny vessel. All those years of poor nutrition paid off. I was skinny as a stick.

I didn't even breath as I heard noises coming from outside the shack. Voices were everywhere, orders being yelled from every corner. I shut my eyes, _praying_ that the tiny hut was hidden from them as much as it was for me.

Seconds rolled by...soon being followed by minutes. It seemed like hours were passing, and I could almost hear the tick tock of the clock as I waited. But at last, I heard retreating footsteps.

" She must've left, the little rat." I heard a guard say with venom in his voice. " Tomorrow I want more officers around the market. We _will_ find that girl, and when we do..."

The voices trailed. I shuddered, thinking about what that last sentence could've held.

A death sentence, perhaps. Oh god, that would just destroy Renee.

Acting on instinct, I didn't move. Thief rule number one: NEVER assume anything. For all I knew, there were 10 more guards outside, waiting to pounce. I concluded to stay a while longer in the little chest, to rest perhaps. My breathing was still short, my breath coming out in heavy pants. I decided I couldn't breathe. As slowly as I could, I opened the top of the trunk. A gush of air filled me as I stretched out my legs and took a deep breath of air.

It still wasn't safe to escape. Any noise would send them flying to me. Against my will I was confined to this small shack, at least until dark. This was key time to catch up on my rest. I yawned involuntarily, my body aching with fatigue. Before my eyes closed, Jacob flashed in my mind. I hoped he was okay.

Not only that, but I still had no idea where I was, or why the royal guards were more desperate then usual to keep me out. I looked out of a tiny crack in the ceiling. Probably no later then 2 o'clock. I was going to be stuck here for a while.

Slowly, but surely, with a million thoughts racing in my mind, I drifted to sleep.

**_EDWARD_**

A gentle breeze roused my hair as I sat on the top branch of an apple tree in the garden. After my dispute with Carisle, bitter resentment was building up inside of me. Resentment for him...and some for myself. Running out of the room like I had done was childish-_human_.

How demeaning.

I sighed, contemplating my actions and the horrible act that was to happen later. No matter how much I protested the idea, I knew I had no say in it.

Carisle was usually gentle- open for compromise. The fact that he was serious and held no concern for my opinion told me that there was no way out. I was going to be held in this position...

Whether I liked it or not.

Thesheer _idea _of marriage...with a _human girl _at that! It's not short from insane. How was I to marry? I have no love-no love of that kind at least. How could I hold a marriage without love? Humans, especially that of the female kind, _craved_ affection. What extreme would they go to if they didn't get it? How far would they push until one of us lost control? If that were to happen, our whole kingdom would spiral into panic, practically yelling an invitation for rival tribes to come and begin an onslaught.

How could Carisle not _see _the consequence?

If it did come down to that, then we would surely be expecting a visit form the _Volturi..._I shuddered at the mere thought.

_FOOLISH!_ I cursed under my breath, this whole thing was a trap waiting to happen. If the mortals were to see us in full view, what questions would arise? How would we answer them?

Numerous thoughts rushed into my head. I closed my eyes, weary. Few minutes of solitude had passed by wordlessly, nothing disturbing the peace the garden usually held.

...Then something happened that had never happened before.. a smell had reached my nose.

A smell that was unusual to me..

It smelled like fresia.

_Mouthwatering_ fresia. My chest burned slightly with thirst, but I could easily suppress it. Years or experience taught me that.

Perhaps it was because it was a distant scent I was able to shrug it off so easily. I opened my eyes to find the source.

Distant yells reached my ears, as my eyes drew attention to the gate. Moments after the yells, I heard panting. That panting was soon followed by a figure of a person _barley_ able to stand, somehow reaching the gate.

A woman.

My my.

Now _this_ was fairly peculiar. In all my years, and there were many, of sitting in this garden, _no_ one, at least no one but my family and a few chosen others, had ever entered this garden.

And for good reason.

This garden was our sanctuary. A place where we could be ourselves and not hide who we were. There had never been an intruder...until now.

My eyebrows raised as she stood perfectly still.

She had long black hair, her skin almost as white as mine. Her eyes were big and brown, laced with thick black lashes. She stared in wonder at the gate, probably fascinated by it's splendor.

She continued to stay, glued to the spot.

Wow...how long could a human stand still? Not long apparently, for the distant voices from earlier became louder, causing the girl to go into a frenzy. She twirled her head around, and in doing so, sent her hair flying behind her.

A rush of fragrance hit me then like a ton of bricks.

My eyes dilated...that _scent_...that fragrance that enticed my thirst earlier was coming from_ her_. The burning desire returned, filling my chest with a pain I had_ never _felt before. The breeze from earlier was bringing her aroma full throttle at me, driving my senses insane. I tried to keep control. My fingers clawed the bark of the tree, holding me in place. I held my breath-something that didn't matter to my kind- and instantly felt better. Without the ability to smell, the scent she possessed did nothing to me. I sat back, hands still clawed to the tree, and watched her.

Even in some kind of trouble, she was still in awe of the gate-something she had Alice to thank for-when the far off yells, probably that of the guards, came even closer. The girl finally moved around, looking frantic.

Hmmm...I thought. A convict, no doubt. Escaping arrest, I concluded from how fast her heart was beating.

Hah. She was probably staring down a jewel. Wondering how she could snatch it. Humans weren't very hard to figure out. They're minds were all usually greedy.

Yet this was interesting. The garden was hidden from view. She must have no idea where she was, where she was heading, or how she got here.

Definitely not how close she was to danger. A danger _far_ worse than any human force. I couldn't stop the smirk from playing on my lips.

Impressively, however, she was able to climb over the gate with amazing speed.

For a mere mortal, of course.

A few seconds of observation I allowed, before another strange occurrence happed. My usually icy skin suddenly felt warm around my face. While climbing the gate, I had seen up her skirt, a site I wasn't used to seeing at all. I almost felt...dirty.

" HEY!! _**HEY!**_! GET _**IN**_ THERE YOU FOOLS! ARREST HER AT ONCE!"

My attention diverted for a second to the guards. This confirmed my suspicion for her being a convict.

Check and mate.

My eyes returned to the girl, and I watched as she looked around wildly for a quick hiding place.

With _no_ warning, she _threw_ herself behind a tree, desperately attempting to not make a sound.

" Mphhh!..."

I couldn't help myself. I turned around and silently _bellowed_ with laughter, trying as desperatly as she had to keep it low. She just looked so awkward. It was uproarious.

"HURRY AND GET THE KEYS, YOU _**FOOLS!!**_"

The guards were in a frenzy. They scattered around, probably as lost as she was. The scene just added to the humor. I finally understood the saying, " Split my side laughing." It was one of the most humorous scenes I had ever seen.

When the guards left, the girl suddenly collapsed on the ground. With no explanation, I suddenly tensed. I raised myself from my relaxed position, watching.

Was she dead? Did she faint? For some unknown reason, I didn't like the idea of seeing her on the floor, maybe unconscious. I listened for her heart beat. It was pumping furiously. I calmed myself down, and positioned myself as before. I watched her in silence.

After a few minutes, the sound of the guards came back, and just as sudden, the girl jumped to her feet. My eyes widened, impressed. This girl was _quite_ the show.

I saw the desperation in her eyes as she looked around, no doubt trying to find a secure hiding place. From the corner of my eyes I saw the gate being opened, likely overflowing with officials ready to pounce. This girl must have done something pretty horrendous.

I smiled.

Yawning, I laid myself back down on the tree branch. With a hand stretched over my head, perfectly at ease, and another gripping a small apple, I effortlessly tossed it into the garden, hitting the small shack where Esme hid all the gardening instruments.

My plan worked like a charm. Her ears picked it up, and she looked directly at where the apple made contact. She sprinted to the spot, ripped the door open, and dissapeared inside. I didn't move my eyes from where she vanished.

Half an hour passed...and the guards left.

Another 15 minutes, and the girl was still hiding. I heard her heart beating, nonetheless, not as furiously as before, but just as rapid.

I slowly got up, keeping my eyes on where the little prisoner stayed. I jumped to the ground, landing with ease. I brushed a hand through my hair.

Why was I so nervous?

As soon as I took three steps towards the shack, I couldn't move. Pain bursted through my chest, as my hand clutched my heart for support.

This woman...what was she doing to me? I tried my earlier tactic. Holding my breath, I tried to shake out the smell...but it was much harder then before. My mouth watered, my body tensed, my lips curled over my teeth. No...NO!

I shook my head. I couldn't let this little convict get the better of me. A century clean, she would not be my down fall. After a moment of regaling my composure, I quickly made my way to the little hut, ever so slowly prying the door open.

I was glad I had taken precaution before hand. I knew that if I hadn't, this small hot room would have been overflowing with her fragrance. I could not have resisted.

I looked around, squinting. It was not long before I saw a white, slightly tan leg protruding out of a box. I raised my eyebrows...classy. Very Classy.

I walked slowly to where she laid. In the very back of the shack, she had fallen asleep in a tiny little chest. I watched as her chest silently went up and down as she took a breath, how her lips opened slightly revealing pearly white teeth, and how she was dressed in nothing but a poor fitting blue garnmet.

She was absolutely exhausted. There was no point in reading her mind right now. There would be nothing there.

Another frustrating trait about mortals. When they were asleep, they couldn't think. At least not about anything but their testosterone fueled dreams.

Sometimes I wondered...what would _I_ dream about?

As I sat pondering, the girl had moved.

I shot a look at her almost instantly, and big chocolate brown eyes were there to meet mine. In a flash, she had stood up the best she could, and quickly reached for something in her skirt.

A dagger.

****

Authors Note: Hey guys! Thanx for reading.D I just want to explain my 2 author thing. Originally, this was supposed to be Bellas POV, but as I wrote, I realized that Edwards POV was just as intresting. Even though it's a pain to write two POV's, I hope it's not boring you to death. I know the repetition of events can make you insane. If you have any criticsm about it, please give a review so I can make this funner to read.

P.S. Will get more intresting. I know this is a little lacking


	3. Hidden Talents

**You Make Me Retch**

Chapter three: Hidden Talents

By: Maggiles

_AUTHORS NOTE: _Yet again, thank you to all my faithful readers for sticking with me. This chapter was a real pain for me to write, I probably revised it completely at least three times. [ Maybe at the end of this story I'll put it up for the curious readers But please bear with me. This chapter is a little lacking for my taste because I really wanted to start writing about the more intimate time Edward and Bella will be spending later on. But I felt this was important also, for its the first time they interact.

REVIEWS MAKE ME HAPPY. They really keep me going. If not for your encouragement/criticism, I probably wouldn't be updating as fast as I am right now.

**Bella**

Dammit! _Curse_ it all to _hell_! I _knew_ I shouldn't have dozed off!

I mentally screamed at myself, my heart beating a million times per second. _How_ could I have made myself so defenseless? So vulnerable?

I knew better then that.

As soon as I opened my eyes, a boy was sitting not even a foot from me. At first, I hadn't reacted. Because at first, I thought I was seeing an angel.

Whoever this boy was, he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

The way his bronze colored hair swept across his face, how his golden eyes shone with a brilliance I had never seen before, dammit, just the way he _looked _at me. I couldn't find words...

But then I came back to my senses, back to the reality. I got up as fast as I could, not an easy feat being where I was.

Using all the speed I had, I reached for the dagger I had placed in my skirt from earlier today. I felt the handle and gripped it tightly. From past experience, the **last **thing you wanted to do was lose your weapon.

Whoever this guy was, realization hit his face as _soon_ as he saw where my hands drifted.

I snarled, trying to look as fierce as I could. Heck, I even growled for some added affect.

It seemed to work. He jumped back.

I hated myself for doing this, but as he did, I could not stop my eyes from roaming all over him, taking in his whole figure.

His clothes were simple. Dark blue shirt, milk white pants...silver encrusted boots? No...

Judging by his attire, he was nothing more but a farm hand.

What I really noticed was his _figure_. If I thought he was gorgeous before, he was _perfect_ now. His body was toned, slender. His face smooth as marble and blemish free. Who _was_ this stranger?

As I brought my eyes back up to his face, I saw his bewildered expression. I peered at him entirely confused...until I became highly aware of what was so amusing.

My eyes grew bigger as a deep scarlet blush painted my face from the hairline down. For the past whatever minutes, I had been staring directly at his manhood.

Humiliating.

Mentally slapping myself, I tried the best I could to regain my fierce composure.

But a big part of me knew that however intimidating I had looked before, it was just cut in half. Gripping the dagger even more tightly then I had earlier, I jumped out of the chest-I saw the boy tensing ever so slightly-...and grandly fell flat on my face.

An explosion of pain erupted from inside me, as instinct told me to clutch my head as fast as I could. I moaned, feeling the blood swell into my brain.

What was _wrong _with me?

I rolled over in a sad attempt to make a comeback, but all I heard were chimes. Medium low chimes, beautiful chimes. It took me a second to realize it was laughter.

He was _laughing_ at me.

Shame more then fury fueled me to jump back up, but as I regained my composure, I accidentally bumped into some nearby rakes causing them to crash on top of me.

I was forced back down on the ground.

A loud yelp was all that escaped my lips before I collapsed.

As soon as I did though, _more_ laughter erupted from the boy. I dizzily looked up at him and saw his hand at his mouth, trying desperately to stop from keeling over. As he was shaking, his eyes met mine causing him to look away, laughing even _harder_.

Against my will, I blushed a deep scarlet. I was not going to take this humiliation any further. If he didn't take me seriously before, he would now. I reached for the dagger...but found nothing.

_**NO!**_

My eyes widened with panic as I searched frantically around for my weapon. Not on the ground...in the chest perhaps? No..._where had it gone?!_

" Looking for this?"

My head shot up feverently-almost violently-as I saw him twirl my dagger around in his hands. His smile was crooked, but the sheer beauty of his voice and grin knocked me out. How could _anyone _have such control over a persons feelings?

"I saw the show you put on earlier." he said casually, dagger still laced in between his fingers. "I had thought you were _quite _the clever convict. But in truth, if fifteen guards couldn't stop the likes of _**you**_..." he trailed.

Throwing the dagger into the air, he caught it by the blade with two fingers.

" ..then I must assume we need better guards around here, no?"

He shot me a side long glance.

I was at loss for words.

There was _no_ way-no possible _chance_ he could've snatched my blade. He had barley even moved-if it wasn't for laughter. _When_ did he...?

"You've succeeded in amusing me. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard..."

My heart was pounding. This guy was more dangerous then he appeared. My only priority at the moment was to take back the dagger. It was my only chance of escaping. I eyed it wearily.

He continued. " _You_." he said, pointing the dagger in my direction. "What is your name?"

He looked at me with confidence, as if he was completely sure I would reply.

Thief rule number two:_ Never_ give away personal information._ Ever_

Silence endured for a short while.

I decided the only thing I would focus on was the blade. He raised his eyebrows.

" Not telling? Well, there are other ways..."

I met his eyes, confused. All he did was gaze at me. Perfectly at ease, as if staring at someones head was perfectly normal. In fact, he looked cocky doing it, as if he knew something I didn't.

All _I _knew was that he wasn't going to get my name. Ever.

His little staring game continued for a short while longer.

Then his face took on a different emotion.

Shock.

For no apparent reason, his calm face suddenly turned into a concentrated glare as he stared me down. If the term glaring daggers ever applied, it sure did here.

But I couldn't make a move. Not yet, at least, with his watching me so intently.

Minutes flew by in silence. Soon, his glaring face became that of incredulity. He simply gawked at me, mouth slightly open.

" How is that...?" he whispered, looking down for a mere second, " ...How can that _be_?"

As soon as his eyes went off me, the game was back in play.

Now was my chance. Making sure not to bump into any more gardening equipment or anything else for that matter, I shot up and threw myself at him. I just pushed myself forward, using back wall as a springing board for added momentum.

He didn't see me until it was too late-he barley let out a gasp as I brought him down with me.

_**DAMMIT! **_

My eyes clenched in pain. It was as if this guy was made of stone. His body was so hard that it felt like I had just fallen on top of a gigantic boulder. The shack door had come crumbling down as I turned over in agony.

"OWWW!" I almost shrieked, hugging my sides for support. It felt like I had broken a bone.

But I couldn't let myself waste time.

My eyes quickly searched for the guy I had tackled, and I spotted him lying on the ground not to far away. Using all the effort I had left, I rolled over him, grabbed my dagger, and clenched it in my fist.

Even with the pain, I managed a smile. Jacob would've been so proud. I felt the high I used to feel as a criminal. The high of victory.

...And it hadn't been hard at all. Actually, it was too easy. I stopped for a second to make sure I truly held the dagger in my grasp.

I tried to replay the scene in my head. For some strange reason, as soon as we hit the ground, he had stood completely still, free from motion. His whole body stiffened, not moving, not breathing.

I quickly crawled over to him, placing the dagger at his neck. " If you don't want to die..." I spat, looking him square in the eye, " then-...?"

I stopped. As I gazed in his eyes at point blank range, I noticed that the color had changed. It was a deep ominous black. Something seemed peculiar to me...I slowly moved away from him, dagger still at his throat, and watched. There was no change to him. He still didn't move. His hands were clawed into the ground and I couldn't even see him _breathing_.

What the...?

I picked myself up from the ground, slowly, keeping my eyes on him. This guy was acting more and more odd by the second.

I decided he wasn't going anywhere.

Reluctantly I looked away from him, lifting my head to see if the coast was clear.

It was perfect.

No guards, no witnesses, nothing but the warm air and sun.

This was a** golden** opportunity to escape. As I eagerly turned for the gate, I couldn't even take one step.

My feet had caught on to something hard, rooting me to the stop.

My knees trembled. My heart pounded.

Looking down, I saw his hand clutching tightly to my ankle.

**Edward**

**CURSES!** This girl...this _demon_...who was she and why did she drive me to the brink of insanity?!

From instant she had opened her eyes, I _knew_ she would ruin me.

She was not so different from other humans.

As expected, from the first time she saw me she was bewitched. Staring at me for what seemed like _ages_.

Humans were all the same. Physical appearances meant everything. That's why we were the perfect predator, my family and I. The object of lust for any mortal, we were _made_ to lure them to us. Our smell, our looks, even our _voices_...all instruments of death.

But this girl...she was unlike any other human I came across. Instead of shying away, she actually _threw_ herself at me.

The scene played back in my head over and over.

She had intrigued me.

Bringing out my curious nature, I wanted to know everything about her.

Who she was, for instance, being the first objective.

" You." I said, pointing the dagger in her direction, " What is your name?"

All she did was look at me...no...maybe not.

Not at me...but at the blade. Hah...did she _actually _think she would make a come back- that she even had a _chance_? How ridiculous.

I waited patiently for her reply.

Nothing.

Silence endured and she still eyed the blade, her face filled with some sort of hope...a strategy perhaps?

I sighed, a look of mock annoyance on my face. " Not telling? Well, there are other ways..."

I gave her a nonchalant glance.

Normally, under regular conditions, I wouldn't have wasted my time reading human minds. They were all so _equally_ boring, lacking in any originality. They usually consisted of money, power, or this was a good one, lust.

But something-a gut feeling- told me this girl was different. That her mind might actually be a tad bit riveting.

Hmmmm let's see,what _is _her name...?

But before I could figure out anything, I stopped cold.

_What?!_

My eyebrows burrowed together in a stupor.

I couldn't read anything.

_Nothing_.

Not one little word, not one little picture.

It was as if there was a big Smokey cloud in her mind, hiding _everything _she thought.

I couldn't hear anything-which was a first, since humans usually _yelled_ their thoughts **quite** often- not one little _whisper_ even.

I must not have been concentrating enough, I decided roughly, turning my once casual look to that of a fierce glare. She felt it too, I'm sure, for I saw her nose twitch in response to my sudden change. I stared her down for a good three minutes, just using _everything_ I had.

Prying, pushing, _forcing _myself through the strange barriers around her mind.

Again, nothing.

For a second I was baffled. This had never happened to me before-at least not with anyone but Carisle.

Yet _somehow_, she was still different from him. Carisle had to put an effort to protect his thoughts, to put something over what he didn't want me to hear. That feat alone took years to perfect.

But this _girl_...she had put no effort in whatsoever. It seemed like it just came natural, for after all, she couldn't have known about my ability. Even if she had, there was no way she could protect her mind anyhow.

What _was_ she...?

At that point, I could do nothing but gawk at her. Then, for a mere second, I looked down.

" How is that...?" I whispered, " ...How can that _be_?"

I needed to think. This was a fairly new experience for me, and I didn't know how to react.

I decided to try again.

Maybe this tiny shack did something to the mental currency of her brain. Those falls _did_ seem rather torturous, and she might possibly have gotten a temporary loop hole.

I brought my eyes back up to meet hers...

But she had moved.

Placing her feet at the back wall of the shack, she used that as a spring to _fly_ at me-which was also a first- knocking me completely out of the shed and into the ground.

Clever, I hated to admit, oh so clever.

During that five second act, however, a fatal mistake had been made.

I took a breath.


	4. Unwanted Business

**You Make Me Retch**

Chapter Four: Unwanted Business

By: Maggiles

**Edward**

Don't breathe. Whatever you do, don't take in anymore air!

I was laid out on the ground, keeping as still and as motionless as a stone.

My body pulsed with pain. Ba boom...Ba boom, that was all I heard. Fluid rushed into my head and I was sure I was going to explode at any minute. My fingers violently seized the earth, plunging them into the soil a good four inches.

_Stupid_, _**STUPID**_ girl! I seethed, as my vision clouded with haze. _**FOOL!**_

All these years of precautions. All these years of controlling myself. All these years human free.

This demon was going to change all that in a matter of seconds.

For a sheer moment I wrenched my eyes shut. My throat positively _burned _with torment. It was as if oil was poured all over my body and lit aflame. I mentally screamed with agony.

But with all the will power I had left, I shot my eyes back open.

If I had left them closed, all I would have seen was her face. All I would have imagined was her scent and getting that scent into me. I had to get distracted somehow, but I knew it was easier said then done.

The moment she startled me, the moment she knocked me out of the shack, all hope was gone. I had taken a breath, a small one, but that didn't matter. Her fragrance had already traveled to my brain, practically _clawing _at my nerves, _eating_ me from the inside out. I knew that I had to sustain it.

But this was not like any other thirst I had felt before.

This was exceptionally stronger. It was as if I was placed in a room _filled_ with exquisite food and drink for the very first time, compared to the stale bread and water I had been exposed to before. I barley resisted-couldn't.

But I had too.

Control...control...sustain...sustain. Words I repeated to myself over and over again. The pain and thirst still did not subside. I didn't know how much more of this I could take.

Then something atrociously unspeakable happened. I heard a grunt, and vibrations from the ground told me something was heading my way.

No..._**.NO!! **_

The girl had appeared in front of me and instant dread filled my heart. Did this girl _know _what I was? If not, how could she continue to torture me in such ways?

I mentally damned myself as I laid practically dying on the spot.

This was all my fault.

From the first second I saw her, I _knew_ she was trouble. From the _instant_ I felt thirst, I should've let the guards do away with her. I bitterly cursed my curiosity.

I had known better then that.

All I could do now was keep concentrating. Think of what you could lose, I kept telling myself, do not let this wretch get the better of you!

I stayed perfectly motionless.

Not one movement, I told myself, do _not_ let yourself get excited. Refrain from any sort of motion.

And that's how it stayed for a few seconds.

But the few moments of hellish peace was broken , as that _wretched_ girl kept _insisting_ on making matters worse then they already were.

The fiend had done something she _never_ should have done.

She _rolled_ over me. She _touched_ me. It was a different touch then before.

Before, all that brushed me was her palms, and for a mere half second at that before we exploded out of the shack.

But _this_ time, her whole _body_ went across mine. Her scent was no doubt _soaked_ in my attire.

Too much, I kept thinking to myself. This was way too much.

If possible, the pulsing from earlier exploded to a hundred times what it was. It was so vivacious I was almost _certain _she felt it too. My eyes rolled to the back of my head as I clenched my jaw as tightly as I could manage. My body _**screamed**_ in agony, utterly and simply shrieked with torture, but I was forced to endure it. After all, I couldn't pass out.

I couldn't die, or lose consciousness like any other human when their bodies underwent such physical pain.

That was not possible for my kind.

I knew that if I opened my mouth to cry out, her fate-as well as mine-would be sealed. I couldn't even_ move_ away from her. As soon as my hands left the ground, it would head straight for her neck.

I peered at her from the corner of my eye, praying, _hoping_ she was not a fool and used this opportunity to escape-while she still had a chance.

But no. This girl did not have any sense. She was nothing but a villain-a devil. For some reason, she kept coming back.

The hair on my neck stood. How much more of this could I take?

With a swift movement, she was at my side once again. My temple throbbed violently. So close, I thought...no one would know...

And then I had instantly felt ashamed.

Never.

I was much to good for that. Shaking the idea out of my head, I put on a stern face.

NO! That girl would _never_ be the one to crumple my will.

I would not allow it.

In a split second, the blade she had earlier was at my neck, dangerously close to my jugular. If I wasn't in such a state of madness, this would have been _quite_ comical. I wondered what she would've done when she sliced my neck and saw no blood gushing out.

But I made sure not to assume anything. This girl had proven _far _from predictable.

" If you don't want to die," she snarled at me, "then-..."

She stopped. Looking straight into my eyes with a strange, new burning curiosity, her face was a mere foot away. Ebony hair brushed against my face, burning my skin where it made contact.

I had had enough.

My eyes watered, my veins pulsed, and instinct took over.

She attempted to get up. Looking for signs she was free, her eyes locked on the gate. About to dash to her freedom, my hand **ripped** out of the ground and violently grabbed her ankle. It was a wonder how I didn't shatter her leg. It was likely because I had used all my strength in trying to resist her.

It was _much_ to late for that now.

Her eyes met mine, unmasked terror filling them. A crooked smile tugged against my lips as I mercilessly jerked her into the ground.

She gasped on impact, probably bruising her hip a good deal.

My hands grasped her waist and I hovered above her. With her securely beneath me, my lips found the way to her ear.

"Tempting me this whole time," I whispered fiercely, braiding a bunch of her hair into my hands, "You should've escaped while you had the chance, you _fool_!"

With all my patience sucked dry, and my vampire instinct in complete and utter control, my lips hungrily hunted down her cheek, her neck, feverishly making the circuit again and again. Just the _feel_ of her flesh was delicious.

As to add to my victory, she was paralyzed with shock. This did not surprise me. When one of my kind acted so intimately with their pray, the victim was usually in a state of peace. ...though I could tell-mind reading or not-peace was the _last _thing on her mind.

After a few minutes of pure nuzzling, I could not wait any longer.

My lips bared over my teeth, exposing the single, _most_ important weapon my kind needed. Tracing my way back to her neck, my mouth opened slightly and-

_**BAM!**_

Without any kind of warning, she had punched my mouth shut from the jaw up, causing my fangs to pierce my skin in response. Pain engulfed me as I rolled to my side, jaw clenched.

" YOU FREAK!" was what I heard being yelled at my direction. " You _**ANIMAL**_! DON'T YOU _EVER_ TOUCH ME _AGAIN_!"

My eyes squinted as I tried to make her figure out in my haze. Even though I was indescribably enraged, I was equally impressed. Waiting till I was the most vulnerable to strike...she was heading towards vampire territory now.

Standing up in a flash, I slowly cracked my neck from side to side as a low growl escaped my throat. She might have got me that once.

But the game was over.

Ready to pounce, I dug my heels into the dirt, set to go straight for the neck.

I almost snickered as I saw her grab the dagger from earlier off the ground. She would have to do way better then that.

Readying my body, nothing but pure adrenaline pumped through me. I had already lost my mind to instinct, nothing would stop me...

Nothing but two little words that seemed to hit me like a ton of bricks.

" YOU _MONSTER._"

**Bella**

He was insane.

This time, I was _sure_ of it. As soon as I saw his hand clench my ankle, I _knew_ he was a crazy.

Faster then I could've imagined, he had dragged me, plunging me into the ground.

I yelped, feeling a huge pain explode from my side as my hip made contact with the hard soil.

Before I had time to react to the pain, I felt his hands _grab_ me at the waist, nailing me in place as he slowly lingered on top of me.

I was much too overwhelmed at that point to speak. Almost instantly he had gone from motionless and aloof to expectant and restless. His eyes, black as coal, roamed over my face, going every which way he wanted.

I could do nothing but stare at him.

I had thought he was impossibly beautiful before...but my eyes saw something different this time.

When I looked at him now: hair roused, eyes wild with eagerness, lips shaped into a crooked smile-he looked absolutely _terrifying_...yet still somehow _beautiful_. Exceptionally so.

How was that possible?

I felt his hands tangle themselves into my hair. I almost cried out-not only from the pain, but just his _touch_.

Completely and entirely freezing. Like ice, was the only way I could explain it. No warmth, no temperature-nothing. As if frosting water ran through his veins.

His face lowered close to mine, his lips brushing against my ear. A shiver ran through my body. Cold...everything about this boy was cold.

Everything.

"Tempting me this whole time..." he whispered fiercely into my ear, " You should've escaped when you had the chance, you _**fool!**_"

My heart started pounding. What was he talking about? I thought back to earlier when I had first laid eyes on him. The whole time-other then my few minutes of lusting after him mentally-I had never made _any_ signs of seducing him. I didn't even know the _first_ _thing_ when it came to arousing the attention of men. I doubted I even had the right quantity of body parts to arouse _anyone_.

Pathetic.

Not only that, but exactly _how_ was I tempting him? Did he somehow get turned on by woman cater polting themselves at him and placing a knife to his neck?

Before any other thoughts had the chance to cross my mind, his lips were skimming down my throat and back up again.

I stopped breathing. My skin tingled from where his lips touched me. It was the single most unexplainable sensation I had ever felt. Even though my mind was screaming at me to push him away, my _body_ screamed something else entirely.

I was only human, after all.

Even if I had wanted to push him off, he had me pinned to the ground pretty securely. His body, even as slender as his was, actually had some impressive strength to it.

Hmmmm...?

Strength?

For some reason, that trait reminded me of someone...but _who_?

A flash back of earlier this morning hit me.

_'Hey Bells! Didja miss me?...'_

My heart stopped cold.

Jacob.

I had somehow forgotten all about him. For about two hours he did not cross my mind.

Not once.

That has never happened to me one single time in the past eight years I was in love with him.

I thought about how he sacrificed himself to keep me safe.

I thought about how he had hugged me so intimately this morning, after seeing each me for the first time in_ weeks._

I thought about what he would've said-done, seeing me in the situation I was in now.

And I had somehow managed to forget all about him.

For some unexplainable reason, this _guy_, this whoever he was, made me forget about _the_ most important person in my life.

And he had done it effortlessly.

To put it simply, I was frightened.

It was as if this guy was casting a _spell_ on me-some kind of trance. I mean, look at where I was!

On the ground, hip throbbing in pain, underneath some lunatic who was casually raping me, and I just sat back... _enjoying_ it.

That was the final straw. Feeling his hands still knotted in my hair, I used the opportunity to wiggle one arm out free from underneath him. I felt his lips brush down my cheek, and the second they left my skin, I let him have it.

_**BAM!**_

To my delight I saw him roll over in obvious discomfort, jaw clenched tight.

I stumbled getting up, my mind still not cleared up from his bewitchment.

I shot a hot, searingly furious look at his direction.

"YOU FREAK" I yelled as loudly as I could, " YOU _ANIMAL_! DON'T YOU _EVER _TOUCH ME _AGAIN_!"

I saw his head tilt in my direction as he stayed on the ground for a few more moments.

Then suddenly, he shot back up, giving the most sinister expression I could've imagined possible.

It scared me.

I saw him take a fighting position. He was going to come at me with all he had. Panicking, I looked down at the ground for any sort of weapon-_anything_ I could use to defend myself.

And there is was. My dagger! I shot out and grabbed it, stepping back, making sure not to lose eye contact with the enemy. But that was a big mistake. When I gazed at him, I couldn't stop staring...something about his eyes mystified me.

Then a growl reached my ears.

Broken out of the trance, I saw him staring me down.

He took a small step towards me.

Before he could do _anything_ else, I shouted out one more line to him.

"YOU _MONSTER_!"

Shutting my eyes, I waited for the impact...but it never came.

For right then, for whatever reason...he had stopped dead in his tracks.

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**AUTHORS NOTE:** My my...seems like Edward and Bella are getting a bit intimate. Hopefully, you don't mind it. Just to let everyone know, my chapters might start getting a little more sraight to the point. Already chapter four and their _still_ in the garden...what can I say? I'm a details freak. Thanx for the patience, and KEEP REVIEWING!


	5. The End?

**You Make Me Retch**

Chapter Five: The End?

By: Maggiles

**Edward**

"You _MONSTER_."

I had immediately stopped my actions-so instant in fact, that I had stopped midstep. I didn't move. Didn't even blink.

Instead, my mind wandered aimlessly.

Sometimes I thought it truly amazing how words could affect a being as much as those two did for me.

Monster.

As you can imagine, being alive-if you could call what I am as such-for all these years, _monster_ was the one of the nicer things said to our kind. It had hurt me at first, but you learned to let it bounce off after a good fifty years.

However, I was not so fortunate.

The word _still_ had an effect on me. As much as I dreaded it, I could not stop the burning impulse that took place inside of me when I was called such.

Perhaps it was because I haven't been identified as that name for well over 70 years. It startled me.

Or perhaps the reason it had such an impact was because she used that term without knowing who I was.

_What_ I was, to be more precise.

Did I act so wildly that even human free for a century could not hide my nature? Was I forever cursed to accept what I was, not even having the peace of mind that I could hide it?

Shameful.

I must have been lost in thought for a while, for the only reason my mind came back to where I was was the sound of the girl approaching me at full speed. My eyes darted in front of me, as I saw her body flash head on with my face. Thankfully, I was able to spot her before she attacked. My breath was held securely.

That act barley helped, of course, but it was enough to hold me for the time being. The shock of her earlier remark removed most of my desire.

I eyed her incredulously as she placed that childish dagger of hers to my neck yet _again_. Did she not learn from her mistakes? If it had not worked once, what on _earth_ made her think it would work again?

"GET BACK AGAINST THE TREE YOU MONSTER! BACK OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

She seemed to be fuming-_or_ pleased with herself for her seeming victory. I rolled my eyes and did what she ordered.

If she _did_ attempt to slice my throat-which I _highly_ doubted- I could not take the chance to explain to her why there would not be a scratch on me. How instead, my skin would've just broken her silly blade in half.

But this girl was tempting me. If this went on much longer, I would _no_ longer think of saving her from what I truly was. I would act.

Like I shamefully had done earlier.

" Please..." I whispered sarcastically, my voice filled with acid, " Have mercy on me."

The girls grip on the blade tightened. " Be quiet! You may think you're hot stuff, but you're just a crazy farm hand boy! Why would I _ever_ give mercy to a scumbag like you?" Her eyes locked with mine. " If I hadn't punched you earlier, you would've no doubt _raped_ me! The way I see it, I'm protecting this place from perverts like you."

I choked. I couldn't help it. _What_ had she just called me? _Pervert_? That was it.

_Nobody_ had _ever_ dared to call me that. No one had ever had a reason.

No one.

My eyes narrowed. "You had better watch yourself, you little convict. No one _ever_ uses that language with me. Be certain of this: You will _not_ be the first."

A second of silence passed us both. My acidic tone took its toll on the girl. A bit of confidence was lost in her face.

But then my neck felt the blade cut deeper into my skin.

This girl did not give up.

"Really..." she said, cockiness quickly filling her tone, "What makes you think you can threaten me like that? Look at where you are. Against a tree with a blade at your throat. Do you think it's a good idea to mess with the person who holds your life?"

She looked so serious.

I snickered. She was making a _complete_ fool of herself.

I couldn't help it. I rolled my eyes and looked around the garden with complete indifference.

After a few moments of quiet laughter, I brought my attention back to her.

Bowing my head a bit, I made sure to be at eye level. "You hold my life?" I said softly, "What makes you so sure? Are you God? Are you magic?"

She didn't breathe. I continued.

"I don't even have the power to control my own life, what on _earth_ makes you think _you_ do? But please...don't let me interrupt you. If you feel like you can do it, then _please_, be my guest."

I looked down at the blade which was dangerously close to my vein. She looked down also. I heard her gulp.

"Go ahead..." I went on, a faint smile playing on my lips as I whispered in her ear, "Kill me."

She immediately inhaled sharply, pushing my face away from hers _slamming_ it back up against the tree.

I knew it. She had no backbone.

"SHUT UP!" she shouted, eyes ablaze, "I'LL KILL YOU WHEN I FEEL LIKE KILLING YOU! DON'T YOU OREDER ME AROUND ANYMORE! KEEP YOUR HEAD BACK!"

I sighed. This girl was tiring me second by second.

"No need to yell, my little convict, we _are_ the only ones here. I assure you...I can hear you just fine."

She blushed, looking around.

"And could you please attempt to not open your mouth so wide? Wads of spit are hitting me every time you speak."

There it was again. She was bright scarlet by now.

" Shu...shut up!"

My eyebrows rose. She was more sensitive than I thought...maybe I could use this to my advantage.

"Alright, I'll be quiet. After all, you _do_ hold my life in your hands... But let me ask you this: Do you have _any_ idea where you are?"

It had worked. Her eyebrows rose in confusion.

"I take that as a no. My, my...this is _rather _unfortunate. Perhaps if you knew where you were, you would think twice about putting such a frightening weapon at my throat."

I felt the girls grip on the blade loosen ever so slightly.

"Just imagine the mounds of trouble you'll be in when you get caught. Escaping arrest, trespassing, deliberate man slaughter, and now _threats_? You are as brave as they come, I'll admit...brave, or impossibly stupid."

Fire lit the girl's eyes as she shoved me harder against the tree, blade getting deeper in my throat.

" SHUT UP!" she yelled, glaring at me with contempt, " _Do_ tell me then: Where are we?"

I grinned.

"Why, my dear captive, we're in the Royal Garden, nothing but a few minutes' walk from the Palace."

Pure and utter shock filled the girls face.

And something else...fear?

She looked away from me, no doubt going into a mental frenzy. I enjoyed watching her so helpless. A dose of fear was just what she needed.

"It can't be..." she whispered, " No _way_..."

She turned to meet my gaze fiercely, once again thrusting me against the tree. I was getting rather tired of it.

"WHO ARE _YOU _THEN?! WHAT IS YOUR TIES TO THIS PLACE?" she snarled, eyeing me with obvious detest, " DO YOU WORK HERE?"

I thought about it for a while...I decided I shouldn't let her know my identity. She saw too much.

" Yes..." I said, " I _do_ work here."

Which wasn't a lie per say, but a big twist on the truth I'll admit.

She looked me up and down.

"I'll spare your life..." she started.

"Oh _thank_ you" I responded with heavy sarcasm.

"...IF you don't say a word about me. As if I was never here. Don't mention me, don't talk about me, don't even _think_ about me."

A mock look of innocence crossed my face. " I don't think I can do that. You've already captivated me _so."_

She scowled. " Look," she breathed, obviously in distress, " Don't make me kill you. Just do as say. Please."

I looked away in complete indifference. " I don't think I can..."

" UGHH!" she tried to push me against the tree even MORE-if that was possible- but I had had enough of it already.

I stood my ground.

She couldn't even budge me an inch.

" PROMISE!" she almost screamed, eyeing me in desperation, " Just promise me!"

Hmmm...Probably understood she was at the end of her rope.

" No." I answered.

" WHY?! I'm showing you mercy!"

" I don't need mercy from the likes of _you."_

" I'll kill you!"

" No you won't."

" SHUT UP! I WILL!"

" If you wanted to kill me, you would've done it before."

Her eyes looked wild.

I brought my tone down to a whisper. " In fact, I doubt you killed a single person your whole entire life. You're the _last_ individual that should be threatening anyone."

" BE QUIET! I _SWEAR_ I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Go ahead. I'm still not promising anything."

Eyes frantic, she looked down and cursed in frustration. Giving me one last wild look, she cried, "PROMISE ME! IF YOU DON'T I _WILL _KILL YOU! NOTHING'S STOPPING ME! YOU DISGUSTING, VIAL, SICK _MONSTER_!"

My eyes widened with attention at her last word.

She obviously did not understand how lucky she is to have been alive at this point.

This was it. I could not hold back any longer.

In a flash, I had used my speed to grab her hands twisting them around. She cried out in agony. Turning myself towards her, I rammed _her_ against the tree, pinning her arms to her sides. The dagger had fallen to the ground beside me. I looked in her eyes full of detest.

"I warned you before _never _to call me that again." I seethed, nothing but pure hate driving me, "You have made a fool of yourself and me long enough. It's about time we end this."

She held her breath.

"It looks as if the tables have been turned, wouldn't you agree? Maybe you won't take _my_ advice, but perhaps you'll take your own. Don't threaten me when I hold your life in my hands."

She stared at me, speechless.

"What are you gonna do?" she finally whispered, trying to sound confident, " Kill me?"

I frowned.

Brining my face to hers, I hissed, " Don't take me so lightly. Unlike yourself, my record is not as clean. I could've killed you in an instant if I had wanted to. And I'm more then capable of doing it now."

Her heart was beating furiously. I smiled.

" So go ahead...kill me." She said, eyeing me, "Kill me right now."

I rolled my eyes. " Why would I want _your_ blood all over the grass? I won't be the one to kill you, oh no. I'll let the guards do away with you, as they should've done before."

My words seemed to hit her hard. Her eyes widened as big as melons, her mouth slightly a gap.

I instantly ripped off a huge branch from the tree, so fast, she didn't even see it.

As her eyes examined the huge piece of wood in my hands, she inhaled sharply.

" Wha...what _are_ you?" she whispered, gazing at me with disbelief.

I shot her a glance, bringing my lips to her ears. " I'll let you figure that out by yourself, little convict. Though, judging by your earlier behavior, it may take you a while. You don't seem to like listening to orders."

I threw the branch as hard as I possibly could without overdoing it, directly at the gate. When it made impact, the branch shattered instantly into a million splinters, _scattering_ the ground. The gate on the other hand, was key.

In no time, a loud, long, gong erupted from the gate, piercing into the air.

It was almost deafening.

A lot of people didn't know this-the reason being no one knew it _existed_-but the gate was completely hollow. Carlisle had feared that if it was filled, there would be no gold left in the land.

She yelled in pain, the noise probably reaching directly into her brain.

_I_ could handle it, of course.

"WHY'D YOU DO THAT-" she screamed at me, as _soon_ as the noise settled.

But something had cut her off.

Noises of scurrying footsteps not too far away.

"Hmmmm...sounds like the guards..." I trailed off, looking up at the sky.

Her eyes widened. " NO!"

She feverently tried to escape my grasp.

"MEN! _MEN_! FOLLOW THAT NOISE! IT'S COMING FROM THE GATE! IT _MUST_ BE THE TRAMP FROM EARILER!"

The yells and shouts of the guards became more obvious as they approached closer and closer. Using my feet, I flipped the dagger from the ground, catching it with my hand. I swiftly plunged it into the girl's shirt, _pinning_ her to the tree. She tried to escape, but to no avail.

"LET ME GO!" she screamed in desperation, obviously hearing the guards getting imminent. "LET ME GO _DAMMIT_!"

I picked at my ear, pretending not to hear her.

I _had_ let go of her, but in place of _my_ grip was the very weapon she thought would lead to her escape.

How very ironic.

I watched in silent satisfaction as she struggled to get away.

Grinning, happy as I could be, I breathed, " Here's hoping we _never_ meet again. Farewell my little captive!"

As I turned around to leave, I heard her scream, "_WHY_ ARE YOU DOING THIS?!"

A frown came to my face as I turned to confront her one last time. Using all the venom I could possibly produce in my voice, I ranted, " _Why_ am I doing this? To you, you ask? My little convict, the answer should be _quite_ evident by now."

Slowly stopping her struggle, we both heard the guards approaching the gate.

Locking my eyes with hers-for what was hopefully the last time-I whispered:

"You. Make. Me. Retch."

Her eyes _filled_ with spite as I smiled.

And then...I was gone.


	6. Unlikely Reunion

You make me Retch

Chapter seven: Unlikely Reunion

By: maggiles

**Authors Note:** Hi guys. I cannot apologize enough for my long absense. As soon as chapter 6 was done, my dad _cut_ the internet until right now. So three and a half weeks was a very long time to wait, and I appreciate you guys not tracking me down and cutting my throat. In that time, I had finished five chapters, but thanx to my obnoxious father, he rebooted the computer and eveything was lost. I'm really pissed off, and almost quit this story completley. But then slowly redid this chapter, and currently working on the next.

****

**Bella**

If there was one person who deserved to rot in hell, hands down it would be that jerk.

I had _never_ met _anyone_ as vial and sneaky as he.

All I could feel was a rush of hate and vengeance pulsing throughout my entire body as I watched him dissapear from sight.

How? I asked myself again and again.

How could I go down like this?

Was this really the end of the line? End of my _life_?

My mind screamed that it wasn't.

That I still had a chance for existence.

That I wasn't down for the count.

Not yet, anyways.

But as confident as my mind seemed to be, it was hard to believe anything I felt when I watched dozens of guards _rush_ at me.

Without meaning to, I felt hot tears brimming around my eyes.

This was the _exact_ situation I had been trying to avoid all this morning.

I thought about how foolish I was. How I could've been home by now, mixing some vegetables into a pot and making a stew.

I thought about _why_ I didn't kill that demon while I had the chance, even though I had plenty of opportunities to end his life.

My thoughts eventually wandered to Jacob, and how disappointed he would have been at me.

I used to be one of the _best_ of his gang. Whenever I stole something, it would seem absolutely effortless.

Natural even.

And _now_ look at me.

Couldn't even steal an apple without getting caught.

Shameful. Utterly shameful.

"QUCIK!! SURROUND HER!"

My jaw clenched as about thirty guards made a circle around me.

Most of them were _leering_ in my face, as if they knew I was going to get it bad.

They were _all_ stupid and immature. Weren't guards of the royal kind supposed to display no emotion?

Guess they didn't get the memo.

My eyes narrowed as the front of the circle broke apart for a moment to let someone through.

A potbellied official made his way to the center. His hair was greasy, his legs too thin to even out his big stomach, his eyes dull and completely out of focus.

Walking slowly with a sly smile on his face, he approached me.

" My my..." he said, " What do we have here?"

I inhaled sharply through my nose. There was nothing I hated more then guards.

" Looks like you're utterly alone my dear?"

All I could do at that point was scowl. My body was useless at the moment, so my only option for a decent defense was working the face.

If my scowl _didn't_ get the point across though, I was at a loss for choices of what else I could do. Like he said, I was alone.

As a convict, you _learned_ to be alone. It was as natural as breathing. You couldn't trust anyone, have faith in anyone, because at any given moment they could turn around and stab you in the back.

That used to be me. Always moving, cold hearted, malicious.

But Jacob changed all that.

He taught me that in _his_ crowd, nobody betrayed anybody because his gang was _built_ from trust. 'Like family', he always used to say.

Like a second family who watched your back.

And it sure made stealing things a hell of a lot easier. Just get some people to make a distraction and the others would take care of the rest.

I guess I was staring off into space, because the officer did something _unbelievable_.

He reached out and touched my face.

I _violently_ jerked away, orderly skewing out a big wad of spit at hit him, _right_ in the middle of his uniform.

It seemed to work in making him mad.

His smile quickly turned into a snarl as he brought his hand back and harshly _slapped_ me across the face.

The pain was incredibly intense.

It was like a fire cracker hitting you smack dab at one spot.

I wanted to cry out in pain, but I bit my lip back as hard as I could.

I would _never_ give him the satisfaction.

"Aw..." he said to me, breath absolutely _reeking_ of alcohol, "The same little _tramp_ from earlier...do tell me for I'm _oddly_ curious: How did you end up in THIS predicament?"

He motioned at the blade to my shoulder, my tattered clothes. I didn't look at him. He was not worth wasting my breath on.

His eyebrows raised and he turned around, eyeing all of his guards up and down.

"Tell me tramp!," he continued, talking not at _me_, but to his audience, " Tell us how _you_, the girl who got away from my _best_, has somehow managed to pin herself to a tree with her _own_ weapon."

Snickers erupted from all around. I guess they thought it was a hoot.

The official looked pleased with himself, probably thinking he was just oh so clever, and I could _swear_ that the other guards were _just_ as drunk as he was.

After the laughs died down, he brought his attention back to me. Coming even closer, he whispered, " Tell me, girl. Tell us _all_ right now."

My nostrils flared.

Even if I had _wanted_ to tell this scum bag what had happened, what would I say? That the devil in human disguise came and fought with me?

Umm...no.

So that's why I kept my mouth shut. If anything else, that part of my criminal side stayed true.

_Never_ admit to anything.

He seemed to sense my obvious rebellion. Acting with his intoxication more then anything else, he slapped me across the face again, this time, even harder then before.

My heart almost gave out. He had used full force.

"_TELL US!_" he roared, spit flying from every direction, " TELL US ALL HOW _YOU_, A MERE _TRAMP_, WAS ABLE TO RUN FROM MY UNIT! TELL US ALL HOW STUPID YOU MUST'VE BEEN TO GET CAUGHT, _STUCK_ ON A TREE!"

He panted, obviously out of breath, sweat seeping from every pore on his body.

I almost gagged.

It then occurred to me how long this could keep going.

Accusations, silence, slaps...

It wasn't something that seemed particularly pleasing to me.

So I decided to give him an answer. If he didn't believe me, what else could I do?

"Fine." I snapped, eyes narrowing, " I'll tell you _everything_."

And just like _that_, the officer stopped his little breathing rant.

His eyes widened a little, obviously not planning on having his speech take affect on me so soon. He smiled in victory, showing his crooked teeth.

I mentally rolled my eyes. He was so disgusting.

He locked stares with me the best he could without wobbling over.

"Go on..." he breathed.

"But first," I said, trying my best to stand a little straighter, "let me ask you this: If I am nothing but a mere convict, _obviously_ stupid for pinning myself to this fine tree here, how is it possible I was able to escape _your_ guards? If I'm a tramp, then they're no doubt complete and utter _morons_."

I motioned to him with a quick nob of my head, a smirk on my lips.

"And here he is, " I sighed, " their ring leader. _King_ of the asses."

_**PUNCHHH**_

_This_ time I could not hold back. A gasp of pain escaped my lungs as I almost collapsed. I was in no shape to have a beating. All my energy had been wasted already.

"YOU LITTLE _HALF-WIT_!" he roared, turning red with fury, "DON'T YOU _EVER_ TALK TO ME THAT WAY _AGAIN_. DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO HOLDS YOUR LIFE?!"

If I wasn't in so much anguish, I would've rolled my eyes. That conversation had already been played and was way over spent.

My knees wobbled as I struggled to get back up on two legs. Putting my free hand to my chest, I tried to steady my heart.

"Go.To._Hell_." I whispered.

A small part of me knew I was writing a death sentence for myself with each passing minute, each passing _word_.

But I couldn't _help_ it.

Officers like him were unfit to have _any_ sort of authority in the nation. He made me positively sick with detest. How could a ROYAL guard, someone who was supposed to stand for justice and security, treat people the way he did, while DRUNK on the job?

The truth was he wasn't a guard. He was nothing but a fake who cheated his way to land the occupation.

I wondered...did King Carisle know how they treated the people? How corrupt his attendants were?

If not, then who would tell him?

Who would even have _proof_?

And if somebody did, they probably had a better chance of _flying_ then seeing the famous_ hidden royal family._

It was then I felt a new power wash over me.

What if, I thought, this fool _did_ arrest me? Then who else would fight them? Who else knew how sick and disgusting these men were? How corrupted they had become? I mean, who would stop them from doing this to other people? To my mom even?

My eyes narrowed.

I _couldn't_ give up.

Not yet, not ever.

I _had_ to keep fighting. If not to for anything else, to get revenge on that devil from earlier and show them that they weren't so tough. That a seventeen-year-old girl could knock down an elite Royal worker.

That they had better watch themselves from now on.

I focused all my attention on the guard in front of me. He was still to far away to reach from where I was standing, but I quickly thought up a battle plan.

He seemed angry-_enraged_ actually. I watched as his face became a dangerous shade of red. He was going to beat me into a bloody pulp, there was no doubt about that.

But _when_ he did was key.

I knew by the looks of his face that he was going to come at me very soon. I dug my feet into the dirt, taking a defensive stance. Whatever happened, I would be prepared for it. THIS time around, I wouldn't make _any_ mistakes.

I saw him reaching for his sword. With an angry yell, he charged directly at me, RIGHT into my trap.

When he was finally within reaching distance, I swiftly moved my body to the side, lifted my leg and _kicked_ his sword right out of his hands.

One good thing God had blessed me with: Flexibility.

When his sword went into the air flying, I used it as a temporary distraction to grab his head with my one good arm and ram it into the tree with all the strength I had. I thought it would be enough to knock him out, but his head was pretty thick.

He tried to regain his composure, but I wouldn't let him.

I rammed his head into the tree three more times, then when he was about to fall, _smashed_ my leg up his crotch. He screamed in pain, hands automatically reaching for his manhood.

A strange high filled me, something that made me want to smile and laugh the whole day. FINALLY, this guy got his just desserts.

It's called Karma jackass.

But soon after that, I knew I had about a good three seconds to make a run for it before the other dozen or so guards came rushing after me. Even though I had taken out the head honcho official, that didn't help my situation at all. I was still stuck firmly against the tree.

Oh boy. I really wish I would think over my plans a little bit more before I executed them.

Seeing their fallen leader on the ground in pain, the guards immediately reacted. Reaching for _their_ swords, they all bolted at me, faces red with anger and confusion.

I frantically tried to think of a plan.

What could I do? What could I _possibly_ do to escape?

No...not escape. That plan was way out the window a long time ago.

What could I do to _live?_

I almost ripped my hair out from panic. They were much to close now. Throwing my stupid plans out the window, I let instinct take control. _Pure_ instinct.

I speedily turned my head around, grabbing the dagger with my one good hand, trying _feverently_ to take it out. I pulled it with everything I had.

But it didn't move an _inch_. I felt hot tears gather in my eyes, but I quickly shunned it. This was NOT the time to cry.

Seeing me trying to escape, the guards shouted orders at each other.

"HURRY YOU IDIOTS! GO CALL THE CHIEF! CALL HIM RIGHT NOW! THIS LITTLE TRAMP IS TRYING TO GET AWAY!"

I made one last desperate attempt to run. But in about five seconds, three guards grabbed me, trying to hold me steady.

"NOOO!" I screamed, tears spilling in panic and anger, " LET ME GO! LET ME GO YOU _BASTARDS_! DON'T _TOUCH_ ME!"

But of course they didn't listen. They kept trying to hold me even. Only about ten guards were left with me, the other twenty rushing back into the castle to get this so called chief.

Until he came though, I wouldn't give up.

'Jacob..._please_ help me!' I pleaded in my mind, shutting my eyes.

Still jerking around like a crazy person, still lost in panic and thought, something happened that sent me into a _frenzy_.

One of the guards, though I didn't know which one, had sneakily slipped his hand into my tattered shirt, cupping my chest.

Mouth slightly opened, I exhaled sharply.

I.Had._Enough_.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" I shrieked, kicking in every direction, " **DON'T TOUCH ME YOU DIRTY **_**PIGS**_**! DON'T **_**EVER TOUCH ME**_"

With one last kick, I had somehow managed to propel my foot into one of the guards crotch. Just like the other one had, he screamed in anguish, attempting to reach for his manhood.

But _another_ thing happened.

The guy I kicked must've been the pervert, for when he tried to comfort his pain, his hand could not get through my shirt, and instead ,in his desperation, _tore_ my shirt right off my body.

A loud RIP sound echoed in the garden as I was suddenly exposed.

There was nothing but a thin piece of bandage around my bosom for support.

I quickly looked down in shock.

The other guards seemed to pause also, staring right along with me.

If it was some other scenario that my shirt was ripped off, I would've reacted like any other girl. Screaming, turning red, running away.

Unfortunately though, I _wasn't_ in a different situation.

Promptly thinking, I took advantage of their sudden stupor to make a comeback.

Lifting my leg, I plunged it down, _blowing_ the guard behind me in the same sensitive spot as the two others before him.

His reaction was completely the same.

The other guard in front of me saw what I was trying to do and attempted to yell out something-a warning perhaps-, but I brought my fist back and smashed it in his face as a loud _crunching_ noise erupted from contact.

Oops, guess I had broken his nose.

Before he fell down, I grabbed his head with my hand and _smashed_ it against my dagger. The other seven guards who sat out until now got back up, running to try and stop me.

But they didn't stand a chance. Still smashing his head against the blade, it had come a little lose.

But that was all I needed. Showing him away, I desperately reached for the dagger, _wrenching_ it off the tree. I quickly stole a glance at the angry guards coming at me.

They didn't look happy.

Pulling till my fingers got cut from the rough tree bark, my blade _finally_ broke loose.

"YES!" I shrieked.

Nothing could stop me now. I was free, had my weapon, and now it was payback.

Turning around to face the guards, all the blood drained from my face.

There weren't only seven guards anymore. The other twenty from before were coming back, along with some man on horseback.

Oh no, I thought. Oh no.

Looking at my options, I chose to do what thief's did best.

Run away.

Looking behind me, there was no where to go. It was all a maze, and I knew if I went and got lost again, it would be the end of me.

Taking a deep breath, I knew I had to make a go for the gate. It was only through there that I could find my way back home, back to Jacob. It was risky, but I had the speed.

Dagger grasped firmly in my hand, I dashed off.

The guards shouted in alarm, not believing my obviously desperate attempt for a getaway.

But they were too late.

I maneuvered around them, twisting this way and that, pushing them whenever I needed to.

Soon, I was about a good foot away from them.

There was nothing going on inside my mind during that time. All I could think about was running. Running like a crazy person towards the gate.

Still sprinting, I found myself getting closer and closer to the twenty other guards and the man on horseback. With _another_ seven men behind me, there was not much I could do.

'Think, _THINK_!' I shouted in my head, 'Think of something that will save your skin!'

And then I got it. Another distraction!

But what?

Looking around, my eyes fell on my precious blade.

OF COURSE!

If I could just aim, just aim right for _once_ in my life, I could _hit_ the man oh horseback, causing him to fall down and take out a good eight guards with him. Then, the other men would get distracted _just enough_ for me to make my escape.

Perfect!

I was a good twelve feet from them now. Grasping the dagger in my hand, I reached back trying to aim dead center for the mans head. He was wearing a helmet, so I knew I wouldn't kill him.

Easy now...easy...

Adrenaline pumping furiously, I was in the process of making the deadly blow.

But before I could execute it, then man did something very strange.

He took off his helmet.

"Bella?" he yelled out incredulously, " Bella _Swan_?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. Dagger slowly lowering to my side, my eyes widened in disbelief.

" D..._DAD_?!"


	7. Second Opinion

You Make Me Retch

The **_REAL_** Chapter Eight: Second Opinion

By: Maggiles

**Authors Note: **Hey guys. I'm _verrrrrrry_ sorry for the long wait. I didn't put Bella in this one, because it would've been much to long, and I didn't think you'd mind. I had a dream a couple of nights ago about this story, and it's like a new _fountain_ of inspiration. There won't be another month long wait I **promise** DD...and another thing. Am I the only one annoyed with the spacing of these chapters? Theres a new tab for every line! I didn't write the story this way, and it's annoying seeing it. Anyways, enjoy!

**Edward**

A deep sigh escaped my throat as I laid back against my bed, arms stretched out to either side of me, my eyes glued on the ceiling.

A strange feeling of anxiety washed over me as my thoughts went back to that girl.

In all of my experience, I knew that thinking too much on an action can make you feel regretful.

I _knew_ that.

So why?

Why couldn't I stop myself from picturing her so helpless on the tree?

Why couldn't I stop...stop _worrying _about what happened to her when the guards came?

Was it the wisest decision?

The right one?

"Ughhhhh."

I moaned, rubbing my face using all the frustration inside of me. I got up from the bed and walked over to the mirror, taking a good long look at my reflection

Black eyes.

Tousled hair.

Teeth exposed.

I looked like I just came back from hell.

Turning on the faucet, cold water rushed out and I watched as it filled the sink to the brim. I didn't stop it when it overfilled. For some reason, it didn't feel important enough to turn off. I mean, what was the point? There was no use for saving a little water.

But then, it was as if something in my mind was _screaming_.

As if there was a different part of me yelling, 'There's something _else_ that's worth saving, something you left to die on a tree.'

Snarling, I cupped my fingers into the sink, making sure to splash water on my face over and over again to help clear my mind.

What was wrong with me?

Why couldn't I find peace?

Why was it that every part of me was screaming to go back and save that girl?

She was nothing to me.

Nothing...so _why_?

Thinking back on it now, of _course_ it was the right decision. If I hadn't left her, who KNOWS what would have happened otherwise.

...But I _did _know.

I knew all to well.

If I had not left her at that moment, I could not have resisted. She would've been sucked _dry_. Her fluids would be inside of me right now, pulsing through my body, her heat giving me a temporary sense of warmth. That's what would've happened.

Of **course** it was right. What other option did I have?

A few seconds passed and not a sound entered my room. All I could hear was the tick-tock of the clock, my breath as my chest heaved up and down.

The wind blew gently, my window slowly opened, and a tiny pair of feet landed softly on the floor.

"You could've stayed with her you know." The voice chimed with a hint of annoyance. My head shot up.

Great. It was _Alice_.

Though I wonder why I was so surprised. Alice always had a habit of appearing out of nowhere. God knows our whole family was used to it by now.

She had always been my favorite sister, and when we spent time together it was the wonderful. But at the moment, she was the last person I wanted to see.

Frowning, I slumped my way to a chair, making sure not to make eye contact. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ohhh, but you do."

"I _do_? And allow me to take a stab in the dark as to how you came across my current situation. Spying again I resume?"

My eyes shifted to hers for a moment as she stuck out her lounge mockingly. I rolled my eyes.

"Well?" I asked, some acidity in my tone, "What do you know?"

A thrilled giggle escaped her throat as she pranced around to the seat next to me. She took my hand in hers, obviously excited.

"Oh...just about everything!" she sang, her smile ear to ear.

"Care to elaborate?"

She took a deep breath. "Well...I was in the pantry with Jasper-he and I were daring each other to eat some pie- when a vision suddenly struck me. I saw you and that girl in the garden..._fighting_ each other."

She paused at this, giving me a look of vain disapproval. "Really Edward, I agree she is _quite_ the clever little mortal, but you should've been able to handle the situation far better then you did."

My eyes widened.

It was like a slap to the face.

As if she was mocking _my_ self control!

I snarled. "Alice, she was _different_...I can't explain. Her scent was...**powerful**. Dangerously so. I could never describe the sheer _pain_ of being next to her, let alone her _touching_ me-"

"La tua cantante."

"...what?"

"She must be your La tua cantante."

"...I'm sorry?"

Alice sighed and gave me a dry look.

"Really Edward, do you even _try_ to learn some of your history? Instead of prancing around the kingdom like some kind of thief, it would do you WONDERS to go to the study and-"

"Instead of going to the study, why don't you save me time and explain to me what an Avine is."

Alice scoffed. "Save you time? Edward, you have an _infinite_ amount of time. There really is no hurry-"

"Alice..."

"Alright, alright. It's said that every vampire in this world has a mortal _just_ for them. Quite fascinating, actually. Someone who is, perhaps, hundreds of thousands times more appealing than anyone else they will ever encounter... Though, it _is_ very rare to find them-I mean, humans reproduce at _ridiculous_ rates..."

Alice continued her little speech, but I didn't hear the rest. It was as if something powerful had just struck me in the head.

It all made sense.

So she...she _wasn't_ a devil. Not at all.

But she WAS different.

She was my La tua cantante.

The one mortal in the _world_ who could make me lose control.

I almost laughed with relief. So it wasn't me who changed. I still have control...just not around her.

...Yet...

My attention refocused on Alice who was still chattering away about avines and stories when I suddenly grabbed her arm. She stopped, giving me a look pure irritation.

"I'm getting quite tired with you cutting me off all the time." she snapped.

"Alice." I breathed, making full eye contact. "Do these cantantes...do they have...some sort of bewitchment abilities?"

I could see the look of confusion in her eyes as she narrowed them suspiciously. "Not that I know of...why? Do you think you're bewitched?"

"I'm not sure."

"Explain to me."

"...Well... When I'm around her, all I want to do is _have_ her. Her blood is...unresistable. But somehow, I managed to get away from her-"

"By tying her to a _tree_ of all things..."

"-But now that she's gone from me, all I can _think_ about is her. Her scent, her blood, her face...her eyes...her lips...everything."

Silence engulfed us both as we tried to make sense of what was happening to me. Even though I would never admit it, having Alice here had made me feel much better about what had happened.. Centuries old and this girl had turned my life upside down in but a few hours. She was _worth_ trying to figure out.

Alice shot out and grabbed my hand, making me jump in surprise at her sudden touch. Had she figured it out?

I waited patiently as she cleared her throat. "It seems to me, Edward, that what you have is much more then a simple La tua cantante attraction."

My eyebrows rose.

"...what do you mean?"

"I _mean_ that cantantes are not always what you expect. For example, MY cantante could be an eighty-year-old grandmother of five. Jaspers cantante could be a little two-day-old boy. You just got lucky to find yours to be close to your 'age' and of the opposite sex."

"...I'm afraid I still don't see your point."

"_Edward" _she moaned, "...must I spell it out for you? For the first time in your 200 years, you are PHYSICALLY attracted to someone... a MORTAL no less!"

I inhaled sharply as Alice began to _roar_ with laughter. What...?

That wasn't possible.

There was no _practical_ way that that would ever happen.

I had control.

I used to roll my eyes at mortals and their raging hormones. How was it...?

"Oh Edward!" Alice choked, eyes watering, "I never thought I'd see the day my stubborn, spoiled, older brother would find love...with a HUMAN!!" she fell back into the chair, holding her sides, in obvious hysterics.

This was humiliating.

And not true in the least.

There was no feasible way I could look at that devil like that. I HATED her.

We weren't even the same SPECIES!

As I opened my mouth to protest, it was as if for a sheer moment Alice had read my mind.

"I know what you're thinking Edward" she giggled, "...but remember: We were ALL humans once!"

At that note, another wave of laughter washed over her as she shook uncontrollably.

My eyes narrowed. "If you're done laughing at your false testimony, then please leave to where you came from. Jasper must be lonely."

My attempt at a threat didn't seem to weaken her, as she didn't change her state at the least. But finally, moments of laughter soon quieted down to a small giggle. Alice wiped her eyes with a huge smile on her face.

"Maybe you're right." she chimed, "Jasper _must_ be wondering where I've escaped too...though if I tell him why, surely he'd forgive me."

My eyes grew large as I began to panic.

If Alice told Jasper, there was _no_ doubt it would reach_ Emmet._ And if _that_ happened, utter humiliation for the next couple of centuries.

To be physically attracted to...to a HUMAN...nothing was more shameful.

I quickly opened my mouth in objection, but she held up her hand to quite me down. "Don't worry Edward." she smiled, " I won't tell anyone. But let me ask you this: When you had her on the ground and you began caressing and touching her, did you feel an arousal in your lower half?"

I gulped.

What kind of question was that?

But...

Slowly, I moved my eyes past my shirt and made my way down to my pants. How...how did she?

"HAHAHAHAHA!!"

Booming laughter bounced off the walls as Alice giggled all the way to the window. She grabbed the porch and looked back at me, her face distorted in humor.

"Let me leave you with this Edward: Your cantante should do nothing more than make you unable to resist her blood. Once you feel the need to take pleasure in her BODY as well...then you've got more then a cantante. You've got a future mistress."

A strange feeling of embarrassment washed over me, and I wanted nothing more then to dissapear under the floor.

I had never been so vulnerable in my life then right now in this room.

Alice broke the silence.

"And another thing. If your _heart_ does nothing but pine for her, you will _never_ be able to kill her... if that's what your worried about. Vampires are very selfish in nature Edward. We won't kill what we want to keep. You still have time to save her... Though, if you don't act fast, that opportunity will diminish into nothing but a faint memory."

On that note, Alice jumped out, dissapearing into the gardens below. I walked over, briefly looking for any trail, any proof that she had been here at all.

Dazed, I walked back to my bed, sitting down and glancing at the clock. Three more hours and my fate would be sealed.

"_If your **heart** does nothing but pine for her, you will **never** be able to kill her."_

Alice's words seemed to echo back and forth inside my mind. Maybe...maybe I could save her. If I left right now...there would still be time...

**No**.

I couldn't go back to her.

I could never see her again.

It was for the better, for the both of us.

A deep groan escaped my throat as I rolled over, thoughts and regrets filling my conscious.

"Alice you fool..." I cursed bitterly, "How long until you understand? Vampires don't have hearts."


	8. Anticipation

You Make Me Retch

Chapter Nine: Anticipation

By: Maggiles

**Bella**

"_D...DAD!?"_

I couldn't _believe_ it.

After all these years, the man that had been missing in my life was standing right in front of me.

It was quite funny actually...I had always imagined our chance reunions, ever since I was small.

I would be clean and groomed. My hair would be brushed throughly, be shiny, using some herbal remedies, and I would be wearing a beautiful red dress. (Jake's favorite color, though, I would rather die than admit it)

It would be _perfect_.

He would see that I had grown up to be a respectable young woman, praise the child raising skills of Renee, and hopefully, retire from being head chief and come back home. It was like a dream that kept rerunning in my head over and over, something I truly believed would come true.

But that dream was crushed under the big cement wall of reality.

For, in all actuality, here he was, dressed in his fancy clothes, adorning a noble steed, pure silver sword in his hand...

And here _I_ was.

Half naked and escaping arrest.

Oh how I _relished_ life.

"Bella?!"

I couldn't take my eyes off of Charlie as he jumped off his horse, running full speed in my direction. All I could do was stare at him.

He looked the same as I remembered.

Dark brown hair, beautiful blue eyes, some wrinkles here and there, and maybe some extra weight, but still the same old Charlie.

The same old dad.

"BELLA!" he huffed as he reached me, holding my shoulders with both his hands. He touched my face, grasping my chin, forcing me to look in his direction.

"Bella...what _happened_?"

A _lot_ happened.

So much happened, you'd think I was crazy.

As I opened my mouth to say something, a strange thing took place.

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

What was even _stranger_ was the fact that I couldn't even look him in the eyes. I found myself looking up or to the sides, _anything_ to avoid his gaze.

"Bella, honey..." he whispered with worry, "...what happened? Why are you here? Is something wrong? Anything happen at home?" he gave me a good look up and down, his eyes growing large as he inhaled sharply, "_**What happened to your clothes**__?_ Did some guys try and _attack_ you? Is your mother alright?"

He went on and on with questions, each second clutching me tighter.

Yes.

Of course she's alright, I wanted to say. _Nothings_ wrong, nothing at all. I'm just visiting, I wanted to say...but couldn't.

Because right at that moment, when Charlie held me in his arms, his eyes in distress, hearing him call my name over and over, at that precise moment, I think I had a mental breakdown. All I could think about was how close I was, only moments ago, to _killing_ my own father. How close I was to killing a human being.

Also, just the sheer experience of today seemed to finally take it's toll on my body. The whole day until now, I had been attacked, humiliated, almost murdered, almost raped, sexually harassed, and more scared then I had ever been in my life. But I never stopped to let it get to me.

But now that Charlie was here, now that there was _someone _here who was on MY side. Someone who was worried about me, someone who was...protecting me, my barriers broke down and my emotions took over.

I went through a lot of hell today.

More hell then most people know in their lives.

Before I knew it, I started biting my lip.

My nose started getting tingly, and I looked up at the sky, feeling my eyes getting moist.

And in no time at all, I started to sob.

It was as if the realization of today and the danger I had been in had finally gotten to my brain, and all the emotions and fear I had felt just burst out from inside.

One hand clutched onto Charlie while I cried like a baby, the other one doing it's best to cover my face.

"D-dad..." I sobbed, "...oh dad...I-I...I'm sorry..."

My legs started to shake, my knees growing weaker every second.

A huge painful lump formed in my throat as I opened my mouth.

"Charlie..." I croaked, "Dad...please help me."

I saw his eyes grow big in fear as he watched me so broken and battered, his small little girl hurt far beyond his imagination. But as soon as those words escaped from my lips, I felt this giant wave of fatigue wash over me, and I couldn't fight it. I felt myself quickly faint to the ground, but instead of meeting with the hard floor, I felt Charlie's strong arms trying to keep me up. All I could remember was hearing his shocked yells as darkness engulfed me, darkness I embraced with arms opened wide.

I had my Charlie.

I had my dad.

I knew he would keep me safe.

**Edward**

"P-p...prince Edward, ki...king Cari...Carisle summons y...you t-to his quarters i...immediately."

I didn't change my icy stare as I watched the woman servant blush and stutter her message to me. I was quite used to this kind of reaction from humans. They were so begoggled at the sheer perfection that my family and I attained, that they couldn't think straight around us.

But it really wasn't their fault.

We were MADE to daze our prey.

We had it all.

Everything we needed to get close to our victims was effortless to us, HANDED to us.

Our physical appearance was nothing short of perfect.

We had symmetry, flawless skin, perfect hair, the right body proportion, piercing eyes. Our voices were designed to be pleasing to the ears, making seduction nothing but child's play. Even our SMELL attracted humans by the dozen. Rest assured, feeding was not the problem.

It's trying to stop.

Something that my family, for about centuries now, have been able to do. Though it took many years of training, pain, and sacrifice, it was almost second nature to us now. We trained our bodies to ignore our hunger until we fed on live animals, a humble alternative to humans.

That's the main reason Carsile and I had made the decision long ago that we were never to show our faces to the people. It was much safer for them and us if we made as little contact with the humans as possible. No doubt if they _did_ see us, not only would they question our background, but also start a revolution when they realized some things were just not adding up.

Like why never aged.

Why we never ate.

Why we could never sleep, bleed, or why we were hard as stone.

"Thank you for the message." I smiled. " Tell him I'll arrive there shortly."

"..A-alright, y-your m..Majesty."

"You are dismissed."

Fumbling with her curtsy, I heard her rush down the hallway (thanks in part to my ears which could hear a pin drop a thousand miles away) to, about, I would say twelve other maidens, SQUEALING about her encounter with me. Apparently her name was Aliie, and she could not stop ranting about how handsome I was, and how I had apparently "shown favor" towards her.

I rolled my eyes.

I was very much used to the shallowness of humans, where they acted more with their loins then their brains, which were highly undeveloped to begin with.

But that wasn't important right now.

My only priority at the moment was my battle with Carisle.

Pondering about his sudden reason to summon me, I tensed.

Had Alice told him what had happened?

...no. Alice would never go back on her word.

"What could you be planning..." I whispered, eyes narrowing, "What are you going to try and do now?"


	9. Deal

You Make Me Retch

Chapter Ten: Deal

By: Maggiles

**BELLA**

My legs moved before any other part of my body. It was funny, they probably thought they were still running. My eyes opened, one after the other, squinting at the bright light coming from the windows. Where was I?

I tried to look for a clock. But strangely enough, there weren't any. Clocks were something rather new, but everyone in the kingdom had at least one. Observing more of my surroundings, I found myself to be in some sort of resting room.

The room was a brick red, with two medium sized stripes going around it. The furniture looked expensive, hand carved maple with dyed cotton seats. I was lying in a beautiful bed, with dozens of sheets and pillows, causing me to sink into its softness. The windows were large, with red satin drapes. Next to me, a small table with a vase full of daises.

Did I die? No...this couldn't be hell.

"I need to get out of here." I muttered to myself. Pulling the sheets off, my eyes rose in shock.

I was butt naked.

Oh.My.God. In this day and age, nakedness was not something to be proud of. In fact, it was downright shameful. And here I was, in my birthday suit, in some strange room I'd never seen before. Clutching the sheets tightly around me, I tried to think as hard as I could about what brought me here.

Deep in thought, I didn't notice the door opening. The only thing that caught my attention was the smell of food. Snapping my head up, I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw Charlie in front of me with a tray. It was as if I couldn't control my own body. All those years of self defense had taken it's toll. And as a true thief, your senses were already programmed to fight.

Before I realized what was happening, I had jumped up-with my sheet of course-and quickly reached for my dagger-only to find it wasn't there.

"BELLA, BELLA." Charlie yelled, alarmed. He quickly dropped the tray at a nearby table, running to me. "Bella," he mumbled, "Sit down, it's just me kid."

My eyes were wild, my heart thumping out of my chest. But when I finally processed that the intruder was Charlie, my stress level dropped dramatically. I closed my eyes, exhaling deeply, slowly sinking back into the bed.

"Geez, Kid." Charlie said, placing the tray of food in my lap, "You've been knocked out for a while now. Your-er...um...your _clothes"-_he turned slightly red at this- "have been thrown out. I asked a maid to bring in some new ones for you."

I blinked. "Oh...um thank you."

Charlie gave me a nod.

"A nurse took care of you. She put some bandages on your wounds, also gave you some tonic to sip. Your were hallucinating the whole time. Kept muttering about meeting the devil or something like that." He rose an eyebrow. By his tone, I knew he wanted to ask me what the hell had happened, but didn't want to push me. That was good, because at the moment, I didn't feel like talking.

I eagerly looked at the tray in my lap. As soon as I did, my mouth began to water. There was a delicious baked pheasant, steamed vegetables, a beef broth and three rolls of bread. My head started to spin. I didn't realize how hungry I had been. Without caring for table manners, I greedily began tearing off the meat from the pheasant, all the while stuffing my mouth with vegetables.

I could almost see the "What the-?" look coming from Charlie, but I didn't care. My stomach was in heaven.

"Geez kiddo." Charlie breathed, "What happened?"

I didn't answer. I was drinking the broth.

Charlie sighed and reached out to me. He grabbed one of my hands. I wasn't particularly happy about that, I needed that one to butter the rolls. But what he did next surprised me.

He stroked it with his thumb.

It was a very affectionate gesture.

It was as if he was trying to make sure I was really there, not some ghost trying to haunt him. He used to do that all the time when I was little.

His eyes became watery, his nose sniffling from time to time.

"You were hurt so bad today, Bells," he croaked, "What would have happened if I hadn't come along? Does this happen all the time? Did you and your mother lose... faith in me? Felt like you had to keep secrets?" His hand held on tighter. "What happened today kid? What in all the world happened?"

There was a huge lump in my throat as I tried to swallow. With my free hand, I slowly wiped my mouth. Poor Charlie. This must've been hard on him too.

"Me and mom never lost faith in you dad." I whispered, finding it suddenly hard to talk, "This never happened before, so don't worry. This is a first time thing."

Weird how easy it was to lie to my own dad. I probably did more crime then anyone in the city.

"First time? What did you do? I asked my guards what the hell happened, and they told me you committed a crime."

I sighed. "Dad, it wasn't that big of a deal."

Charlie rose his eyebrows. "Bella, honey, I'm the head guard of this _country_. Crime has gone up, and so has it's punishments...it's my job to enforce them."

I blinked. "I know dad. But I really didn't do much wrong."

"Bella. Please. Tell me you didn't do nothing. Tell me that they were mistaken. Bella...if you did anything, I have no choice but to punish you."

My heart stopped. What?

"...I didn't do anything bad." I repeated.

"Then what did you do?"

My voice cracked. "I just...just stole an apple."

I don't really know how it happened, but at that point, Charlie just exploded.

"BELLA!" he roared, rising from his chair, " WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING SO _STUPID_ LIKE THAT?!"

My heart started pounding. What was wrong with him?

"I just stole an apple!" I defended, "That's not such a big deal. It's not like I kill-" I couldn't finish my sentence. Not without the sharp memory of how close I came to killing Charlie himself.

"NOT A BIG DEAL?! BELLA...DON'T YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!"

I was getting scared. What was going on?

"Da-"

"BELLA. THIS IS NOT YOUR FIRST OFFENSE. TALKING WITH THE GUARDS, YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN WARNINGS. DON'T YOU REALIZE? THIS IS THE THIRD OFFENSE...YOU'RE UP FOR HANGING- UP FOR _DEATH_."

My breathing became rigid. "What are you talking about?" I whispered, my face feeling cold, "Dad...you're not serious are you? I mean...Charlie...?"

I watched helplessly as Charlie rubbed his face with his hands, frustrated. He started to walk around the room, occasionally slamming his fist on a nearby table.

"Why Bella? Is it because I was gone? Is this all my fault?"

I didn't answer.

I didn't know what to say.

All I could think about was how much I wanted to disappear. To never come back again.

And then my throat tightened.

More then anything, I wished I was in Jacob's warm arms, his voice reassuring he'd support me.

"Bella." Charlie whispered, his voice strained, " I don't know what to do..." I waited. "I...I have to enforce the law."

Getting burned alive by fire would've been better then sitting in this room after what he just said.

My voice became incredulous, maybe even acidic, "_What_?" I hissed, " Charlie...I'm your DAUGHTER. You haven't seen me your whole life. You want to **ENFORCE **THE LAW? YOU'RE GOING TO _KILL_ ME?"

His eyes looked away.

My heart broke.

Maybe it was silly. Maybe I was just living in a fantasy world.

I always thought that he would be the one to protect me. The one I could fall back on and be sure he'd catch me. He was the man I always dreamed of meeting, always dreamed of impressing.

How fast something can shatter.

"No..." I whispered, my legs getting out from under the sheets, "No..."

Charlie swallowed. "Bella...I will not let this happen. Maybe I can tweak the rules a bit and make it life in prison...no-maybe you can call sanctuary and live in the church..."

"Dad-"

"Don't worry Bella. I'll handle this. Maybe I can-"

"Da-"

"I just have to erase all your prior offenses and scribble in some reward-"

"DAD!!"

Charlie stopped and looked at me.

My eyes narrowed.

He was just like them.

"You're just like them." I whispered, eyebrows raising in shock, " You're one of them aren't you?"

Charlie looked at me confused. "Wha-?"

"You're just like those _PIGS_!" I couldn't control my voice anymore. Before I knew it, I was shrieking.

"You're just like those selfish, heartless PIGS RUNNING THIS PLACE!"

I jumped out from the bed, clutching the sheet till my knuckles turned white. "YOU DON'T HAVE A HEART! YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE! YOU LEFT ME AND RENEE TO FEND FOR OURSELVES, NEVER SENDING LETTERS OR SIGNS YOU WERE STILL ALIVE! ALL THE MONEY YOU SENT US WAS GONE BY THE TIME WE GOT IT-STOLEN FROM YOUR DAMNED GUARDS, STOLEN FROM PEOPLE IN THE STREET-I HATE YOU! GO AHEAD-_KILL_ ME! I NEVER HAD FAITH IN YOU!"

My breathing became rapid. Charlie was speechless. My screams must've been loud, for I heard shuffling feet coming towards us.

"Bella-" Charlie started, his hand reaching for me. I slapped it away.

"DON'T _TOUCH_ ME-" I screamed, "DON'T EVER _TOUCH_ ME!"

I pushed him away and ran to the door. I looked back, grasping the knob firmly, "GO AHEAD, DO YOUR WORST CHARLIE, BUT I SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE RUNNING AWAY...AND THERE'S NO WAY IN _HELL_ YOU'RE GOING TO CATCH ME!"

Slamming the door, I dashed to find the nearest exit in the maze of hallways. Going deeper and deeper into the labyrinth, I could hear Charlie's shrill yells behind me.

**Edward**

_Clack Clack Clack_

My eyes looked straight ahead as I made my way down the maze of hallways, taking hidden turns here, a few jumps there, all necessary to find Carisle's "office."

In all actuality, it was really a library, a library _full_ of books we had stolen on our journeys around the world. Books of death, curses, cures, stories, history-useless things that humans buried themselves in.

Humans...and Carisle.

For, to tell the truth, Carisle and I used to _scavenge_ deserted kingdoms, explore lost civilizations, go **anywhere** on earth where we hoped to find a cure.

A cure to kill us, to let our souls go free.

A cure of death for the eternal living.

Of course, eventually I had given up, all but positive that such a secret did not exist, especially not in some book written by mortals. Carisle, on the other hand, disagreed. He profusely defended himself, saying that throughout history, it was known to be done. We just weren't looking in the right place. He had tried to convince me to have hope, but I had thrown away that part of my life for good...

Although... once he _almost_ had something...something that just barely pulled me in for inspection. He had found a book, buried and hidden in the ancient Mayan civilization, for thousands of years. It was a dark blue, with leather bindings and papaya leave pages. In it, he had deciphered something about blood sucking demons-something we rationed to be ourselves-and a jewel that once flashed in front of a new moon, could instantly kill a hundred vampires at once. Promising, but at the lack of proof of such a gem, and the history of the possessed beings at the time, I had shut off such a fairytale. Carisle, though, relished in it.

Lost in memory, I had barley noticed the large rock wall approaching me in the distance. My footsteps gradually died down, and I stopped, trapped.

I rolled my eyes. I still never understood why Carisle chose to be so secretive of his precious library. The trouble you had to go through to get in was quite ridiculous. No one knew of this room except for the two of us.

With no hesitation, my hand felt along the wall until I felt a deep crevice. Using my pinky, I let my nail turn a little pebble around three times, pushing it in the third. All at once, the floor started to shake, and I watched unimpressed as the rock wall slid open in front of me, exposing a mahogany carved door. I opened it, tapping the knocker two times. The wall closed behind me.

"EDWARD!" a voice bellowed happily, "Do come in. I hope it was no trouble?"

I looked up to see a content Carisle give me a wink.

I rolled my eyes.

Walking in, I took a seat next to his desk and folded my arms together. "You called?" I asked, eyes up at the ceiling.

Carisle walked over, taking a seat at his desk. Shuffling some papers, he turned his face in my direction. "Why yes," he smiled, "I did."

I let a second pass, waiting for him to say more. When he didn't, I grew aggravated. "Enough games," I hissed, glaring, "What is it that you need?"

I watched as Carisle opened his desk drawer, rummaging to find something.

I sighed.

All these years with him, I knew he was not one to be rushed. Waiting grudgingly, I tapped my fingers along his desk.

_Finally_, he pulled out medium sized object-a book no doubt-and blew away the dust on the cover. Upon closer examination, I realized it was an all too familiar blue book with leather bindings.

"Carisle!," I snapped, anger rising, "Please tell me you did not call me here for your ludicrous presumptions. I've made it clear that I no longer believe in such nonsense!"

I breathed through my nose, furious. As if he had not angered me enough already, he was testing my patience. Well, soon he would have reached the limit. I was in no mood for more of his silly hypothesis's. I had too much on my mind as it was.

"Do not be angry, Edward." Carisle soothed,caressing the book with one hand, "I didn't bring you here to talk about any gems or cures. It's just I haven't taken a look at this book for a while, and I suddenly felt the urge to take a glance."

Ya right. No doubt he was trying to peek my curiosity, but I would **not** budge.

"If what you say is the truth," I sighed, "Then tell me what you require."

He smiled. "Straight to business, as usual. Not surprising-you never were one to waste time. Even though you have an infinite amount."

I didn't say anything.

"So be it." Carisle, instead of keeping his gaze on me, kept it on the book. "As I made plans to visit our allies in the north, I got in touch with a _surprising_ friend of yours."

This caught my attention. I raised my eyebrows.

"She was very enthusiastic to hear of you. Absolutely **gushing** that you never replied to any of her messages-something that I apologized for in your behalf. If there is one thing I will not stand for, it's rudeness."

My mind was in a whirl. Who could he be talking about?

"Please Edward, don't tell me you don't know of the person I am speaking of?"

I blinked a few times, totally clueless. Even though I would not say it out loud, I had no idea of this mystery person he was talking about. I had not seen the other tribe in decades-and I was not one to remember people of no interest to me.

Carisle broke my thoughts.

"The woman I speak of is Tanya. And if you agree, I will permit you to marry her in the humans place."

After that he said no more. My jaw dropped, my eyes wide.

OF _COURSE_.

Tanya.

The female who had found me attractive to be her mate. How could I not remember?

Carisle, in my shock, turned his chair to the side, folded his hands together, and rested his chin on them. He made eye contact with me, his eyes burning with solemnity.

"Edward," he began, "A word of warning before your reply: If you choose this route, Tanya will be your _permanent_ mate...she will move here as soon as you are wed. So what I'm offering is this-"

His face became serious-rigid- his eyes turning surprisingly cold. After all these years, I knew that Carisle was not what he seemed. In real life, he was a cunning,clever, devilish, little fox.

I knew at _once_ that there was something he was not telling me.

I watched him smirk.

"So Edward..." he said, his tone unusually sinister, "Deal...or no deal?"


	10. Back to Business

You Make Me Retch

Chapter Eleven: Back to Business

By:Maggiles

**Authors Note: **I have an author friend on this website who has 600 reviews! Come on guys...where's the love? ...and to answer questions about Carlisle: I know many of you don't like how devilish he's seeming, but deal with it. I promise that he's not evil, it'll all come together. REVIEWSUPDATES _I NEED FEEDBACK O_

**Edward**

"Deal...or no deal?"

The room became ghostly quiet, and there was a huge tension in the air as Carlisle waited for my reply. I didn't know why, but I felt that I had to be very careful with what I said.

Carlisle was a master of twisting words around. I had to think.

What were the pros and cons? And what was he not telling me?

"I understand the tough decision you have to make" Carlisle's sinister look became kind, "...take some time and think."

I didn't change my expression. I kept it poker, not letting out a hint of my cautiousness and doubt. Before I could reply, though, he tapped his cheek.

"Not _too_ much time, however," he added, his face thoughtful, "The human maidens will be arriving at the palace in half an hours time. And if you so choose _not_ to marry Tanya, then you must see to them immediately."

My nostrils flared. He was teasing me. An annoying habit my "father" did every now and then. I must remember to let him know how aggravating it could be.

My eyes narrowed. Still...there was something I just did not understand.

"What is it that you want to gain by my wedlock Carlisle? By marrying a human, you wish to seek alliance-or at least that's what you say. But by marrying Tanya-a seemingly wiser choice-what can you hope to profit?"

Carlisle's kind look hadn't vanished completely, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Always the thinker, aren't we Edward? Of course, that **is** your most appealing quality." He leaned back against his chair, his hand rubbing his chin, " Next to your physic ability of course-one of the main reasons you are second in command."

I turned my head to the side. "Yes...second in command...only to your distorted, underhanded ways, of course. You can't always be what you seem to rule a kingdom-especially considering what we are. You are a perfect example of that."

I watched as Carlisle's eyes narrowed, "Naturally. ...Now, your decision Edward?"

I couldn't help but smile. Did he really think that I would give in so easily? No. He was probably sensing my distrust-he was desperate.

"Before I agree to anything, you must know my curiosity about this sudden change in plans. What happened to your beautiful speech about 'winning the trust of the people'? Was that all some motivational garbage?"

Carlisle sighed. "Oh Edward...when you speak in such a sharp tone you hurt me right here." He pointed to his heart. "Why would you think I would even try to trick you into something? If you want an answer, here it is: I simply want to make things easier for you. By marrying Tanya, you can be truly happy. Around the same age-well, looking of course-she's beautiful, strong, a good addition to our little family. And as for the people...this is as far as our trick shall go. We will fit her in with the human maidens, and all you have to do is pick her."

My eyes widened.

This _wasn't_ a choice.

This was already planned.

I stood up. "Enough games. If this was a choice, her coming here this fast would not be possible. If it's like what you say, then she **must** be here **already**."

"Of course."

"Then what do you take me for? I have no feelings of affection towards her. Our permanent marriage will not satisfy me-and because of that, will not satisfy her. So whatever you're planning, hear this: I will not agree."

I was exhaling loudly-to make a point-expecting an outraged reaction from Carlisle. But as seconds flew by, nothing changed on his expression. It was not shocked, angered, or embarrassed.

It was...bright and optimistic.

"Is that your final answer?" Carlisle stood up, holding the book under his arm. " Alright then, I shall tell Tanya at once. You will meet the human girls as planned. Do you see how much better things are when you have a choice? Now...no more complaints from you."

He walked back to the shelves behind his desk, searching for what seemed another novel to study. I slowly sat back down in my chair, not keeping my eyes off of him, frustrated by his indifferent reaction.

I hated this!

I could not read his mind-could not see whether he was being sincere or sinister-could not tell anything. He _seemed_ very relaxed and casual-was he really just giving me a choice? Or was he bluffing and expecting me to make a decision to his advantage? Did he _want_ me to choose the human girls, or choose Tanya? Did it even matter?

Minutes went by. Without turning around, Carlisle spoke.

"Still here Edward? It's almost very nearly time for you to get ready for your engagement tonight. No need wasting time to keep me company..."

I still didn't move. I just waited.

Waited for anything-anything to give me the slightest clue to his intentions.

But of course, Carlisle kept himself composed. He turned around, walking back to his desk.

"...or is it that you're unsure about your decision?"

My eyes narrowed. I knew he was manipulating me now. But I had no choice-I did not know what he was planning.

We both were silent as he opened his book, skimming through the pages.

"Look Edward." his voice was tired-truly? Or false? " Since we have very little time as it is, I will give you yet another chance. Once you appear in front of the maidens, Tanya will be among them. Then you shall choose. You will have the perfect opportunity. Tanya? Or a human?" he glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "You can decide for yourself."

I inhaled uneasily. Something was still not right...

Carlisle snapped his book closed. "Well," he breathed, eager, "It's about that time! You must prepare yourself. The maids are in the dressing room, waiting to fit you in your attire. The rest of us shall get ready also. Come, come! We must not be tardy."

He beckoned me to follow him, pushing me in front. He started some small chit chatter on the way out. This eased me a bit. Maybe I was over thinking.

As I walked out the mahogany door, I didn't see Carlisle slip in the blue book inside his sleeve.

**Bella**

"I need to get outta here."

My feet didn't stop moving, even though I had no idea where I was going. I felt that with each passing step, I was going deeper and deeper into my death.

I mean, I was in the PALACE.

The place where once you went in, you never went out.

What was I getting myself into?

I wanted to go back home.

Back to my life.

Back to Jacob.

In fact...I wondered what he was doing right now.

Probably waiting for me to go back to our hide out...waiting...for nothing.

I held back a sniffle.

I just want to get out of here. Where was the exit? There was no way out...and virtually no way to tell the time. This whole place didn't have a single clock. I was lost in nothing, having to depend on a window to give me some estimate.

The sun was in the middle of the sky right now...probably around three o clock.

Damn. I couldn't run away right now. I had to wait until it was dark.

Whoa...before I knew it, I had stopped in a hallway full of doorways. There were probably a hundred of them, all next to each other. I observed.

The floor had a swirly pattern to it.

The doors were all the same color. A deep polished brown of some kind. The only way to distinguish one door from the other was the knocker they adorned.

Each one was different. Some were fruit, others angels, and others demons so monstrous looking, I had to look away from fear.

My heart started pumping. Maybe one of them was an exit-a way out!

But I _had_ to be careful.

As a thief, I knew that one of these doors could easily lead to some enemies...the guards head quarters perhaps...yes...I needed to proceed with caution. Slowly, I walked over to the middle of the hallway, picking an entree. I brought my ears to it, listening for any voices-any signs that the room was inhabited.

A snore let loose.

Hmm...a sleeping person wasn't so bad, but not ideal. I would not risk it.

I moved on to the next door.

Ever so quietly, I listened.

"Did you find her?"

"No...any luck?"

"None."

"Where could she have gone?"

"I don't know...this place has so many damn passages; she could be anywhere."

"We can't let the King know...if he were to find out, we would have the same fate as the girl."

"Not to worry...she doesn't know her way around. We'll find her before then."

"Yes, but we get to have some fun with her later..."

"Fun with Chief Swan's daughter? Hehe...wait! Shut up you idiots! Did you hear that?"

"No, what?"

"I heard a gasp-she must be here!"

"HURRY! GET HER!"

I mentally slapped myself. In my shock, I had let out a gasp-something so stupid of me. I heard their feet shuffling towards the door, and I looked around in panic. Where could I go?

In desperation, I opened a random door and flew inside.

But it was too late.

The guards had kicked open the knob, spotting me.

"THERE SHE IS! DO NOT LET HER ESCAPE!"

I tried to scream, but it got stuck in my throat. I just kept running. I was in a new hallway now, a hallway gleaming with marble. I ran a corner, and knew I couldn't keep running. My heart was screaming for air. I tried to think fast.

I looked at my surroundings, and saw a huge sating curtain by a window.

I ran for it.

Heart pumping, I hid behind it, blending in perfectly. I didn't stir-it was as if my body knew what was going on. Even if I wanted to, I could not move a muscle. I even held my breath.

Now I had to wait.

In seconds, the guards came shuffling down the corridor, their armor making audible noise as they ran to find me. They stopped _right_ in front of the window. I closed my eyes.

I was so afraid, my knees almost buckled under me. My knuckles turned white. I knew that if they caught me now, I was finished. My life rode on this moment.

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know."

"She ran the other way! I saw her! Let's go!"

A drop of sweat ran down my forehead as I heard them disappear around a corner. After what seemed like hours, I fell to the ground. I couldn't stop my reaction. Relieved tears welled up in my eyes, and I dried them quickly. This was no time for tears. If I didn't get out of here soon, I had no hope. No possible chance of making it back home.

There was no denying it.

I was in hell.

And if I wanted to escape, I had to stay here for a little while longer.

**Edward**

"Princ-ince...Ed-Edward, lift you-your arms, please?"

The maiden with a needle in her hand looked down in embarrassment. Her cheeks a noticeable shade of red.

I obliged, raising them with a deep sigh. There were ten maidens around me, measuring here and there while they applied my clothing. I was wearing a red military suit, with my badges across my chest. It was a very formal attire, only used when importance was involved-which was not very often. I closed my eyes, a deep frown on my face.

What a headache!

These woman could not stop thinking-or think quietly. They were all screaming. All of them.

"_Prince Edward looks so gorgeous!"_

"_I wonder if he noticed my hair today?!"_

"_His measurements are...impressive."_

"_He looks so handsome!"_

"_Edward...Can't you see I love you?!"_

"_That Susie-she's trying to get all his attention!"_

My eye twitched.

I had to focus and get them all out of my head.

But I couldn't.

Because right now, my mind was not in peace-quite the opposite actually.

My thoughts were _swimming_.

What was Carlisle's true intentions?

Who would I choose to be my mate?

Were we getting closer to a war with other unnatural beings?

How will I survive the next couple of months?

...And what happened to that girl?

A sharp memory of her face hit me then, and I could not get rid of it.

I remembered her long, mahogany brown hair, her big chocolate eyes, her white skin. I tried to recall the rest of her features.

Her full pink lips, shaped into a scowl.

Her long slender legs, running.

Her scent, sweeter then anything I had even smelt before.

Why was I thinking about her now?

She was not the priority at the moment...yet...

_KNOCK KNOCK_

A quiet pound on the door was heard, and was not given much attention. It was probably another maid with supplies or such. A woman ran to get it, a smile on her face. The door opened, and there she was.

Esme.

The grin the woman had on earlier vanished instantly, her head pulled down in a bow.

"He-hello, your majesty."She stuttered, giving a clumsy curtsy.

Esme's presence was soon acknowledged. Once the other woman saw who it was, they immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed.

I smiled.

Esme was the most kindest person I knew, yet she provoked the most fear. Strange.

"Hello dears."she said, "Have you finished with my son?" Her smile was gentle.

"Yes, M'lady..." a maid mumbled, "We've just finished."

"Wonderful. You may leave now. I need a moment with him alone."

"Yes, M'lady."

Screams of protest and curiosity raged inside their minds, but on the outside they were quiet as a mouse. One by one, they put everything down and shuffled out of the room.

The door closed slowly behind them.

Esme didn't move for a few minutes, waiting till she felt they were truly gone.

Confident we were finally alone, she made her way towards me.

"You look impeccably handsome, Edward." she said, a smile on her face, "Your maidens will be in for a treat."

She reached out and held my hands, giving them a tight squeeze.

I smiled.

Esme was the closest thing to having a mother. I loved her deeply, loved her compassion and heart.

"King worthy?" I asked, a mock tone in my voice.

"Yes, I'd think so."

"How pleasant." my tone was suddenly dry, making her giggle. She beckoned me to sit next to her on my bed. Once we were seated, she gave me a sympathetic look.

"Edward," she began, "I know that Carlisle has taken you by surprise today-what, with the engagement and all...but I hope you see his intentions."

"Oh, believe me. I've tried."

She game me a quizzical look.

"Edward... Carlisle has nothing but good things planned for you. Please believe me: He loves you more then anything in this world."

I didn't say anything. She continued.

"He was always thinking about you. Always talked to me about how he worried that you were drifting away from him, worried that you did not agree with his way of thinking. Your input means everything to him. This is just something he needs you to do. He trusts you with his whole being. Please-do not hold a grudge against him."

I looked into her eyes, about to repute her reasoning, but I stopped.

They were pleading.

I could tell that she was worrying about the recent tension between Carlisle and I.

It was in her nature to be a mother-her feelings were not her fault. I sighed.

"I just don't understand what his intentions are." I said, looking to the side, "Something about him these past hours...just doesn't feel right."

Esme was quit to shoot back. "Of course it doesn't Edward...he understands what a big risk you're taking, he appreciates it so much. It's not surprising you find it to be odd."

I was getting frustrated. This was going nowhere.

"No Esme...I don't believe his intentions to be pure of heart. I think...I think he's planning something."

She made an audible flinch.

Esme's look became concerned. "What do you mean?"she whispered, bewildered.

I exhaled, giving her a quick glance. She looked cautious-tense.

No...I would not tell her my theory. I did not want to pull Esme into this possible conspiracy. I tried my best to look refreshed, eager.

"...Never mind." I said, trying to laugh it off, " I must be nervous: you're right. I know Carlisle has good intentions. I promise you that I have no grudge of any kind against him."

My act seemed to work. Her face became relived, a big warm smile washed across her face.

Her arms reached out and held my face between hands. She looked me in the eye.

"I am so proud of you, Edward." she whispered, eyes full of love, "You're very strong. And nothing can make me happier."

I put my own hand over hers. "Thank you."

She winked in reply. Getting up, she dabbed her tears-well, tears she would have if she could cry, and rushed me to stand up.

Standing, she embraced me, patting my back affectionately. I chuckled, lifting her up from the ground. An embarrassed giggle escaped her lips.

_**DU DU DADUUUUU!**_

The sound of trumpets took us by surprise. Our faces simultaneously turned to the window, the sound of music cutting into the air.

The royal melody was being played-a sign that the eligible maidens were making their way into the palace.

Esme gasped.

She pulled apart from me immediately, instinctively patting me down. "Now, Edward," she began, fixing this and that,"It's time meet the human girls. Now remember to act dignified-don't forget to hold back on every action...it's been a while since we've been so close to humans. Keep your back straight and flash a kind smile whenever necessary-"

"Esme-"

"And once you find the girl of your liking, remember to beckon for the ring-"

"Esm-"

"Of course everything has to be perfect, Alice looks simply _wonderful_ in her-"

"ESME."

I grabbed her shoulders, trying to calm her down.

She fell quiet, our eyes making contact.

"Esme," I smiled, "Don't worry on my behalf. Everything will go as planned. You don't have to worry about a thing-I'm sure you've noticed Alice had the whole front hallways decorated beyond recongintion. It's all beautiful, really."

I watched as she laughed, looking down in thought of Alice running with thousands of flowers in her hands. She looked up, her voice breaking. "My little Edward...this is a big day for you. You're _marriage_!"

"Engagement." I corrected.

"Engagement, marriage, all leads to the same place, now, doesn't it?"

"Well, if you call a two month marriage a marriage, then yes. It does."

Esme slapped me playfully on the arm.

I cleared my throat, extending an arm out to her.

"Well," I breathed, "Can the mother of the groom-to-be lead me to my doom?"

My attempt at a laugh worked. Her smile was contagious, as she dramatically grabbed my arm, her nose in the air.

"Why yes, she would love too. And remember-you must act obnoxiously conceited. Wealthy humans are all like that...we must live up to the part. Stick your nose high into the air like this."

My chuckle rang off the walls as she demonstrated, her nose at a ninety degree angle. After she approved of my act, we slowly stepped outside my bedroom door, and took the first steps forward into the disaster waiting for me in the rooms below.

Even though I will never tell soul, I could her her thoughts loud and clear.

"_Please...let this work."_

**AUTHORS NOTE: **FINALLY! For my precious loyal readers, we have ultimately reached what most of you have been waiting for. The engagement ceremony!!All I can tell you this: It's gonna get DAMN good! I've been waiting to write this part since I've started. ;


	11. Here we go part one

You Make Me Retch

Chapter Twelve:Here we go

By: Maggiles

_'Control your own destiny, or someone else will.'_

_ -Jack Welch_

**Edward**

If I had a heart, it would be beating.

In fact, it would be beating so fast, it would have probably ripped out of my chest by now.

I was standing behind a huge, **thick**, satin curtain, a curtain that was a _brilliant _shade of red. It was outlined in pure gold ribbon, shimmering in the candle light.

We also had candles _everywhere_. The biggest candles were on the chandeliers.

There were so many, it looked like the sun had taken a visit in our guest ball room.

Even though I hated to admit it, it _did_ all look perfect. The decorations were simply divine. Gold and red everywhere, with bits of shimmering white to lighten the room.

The floors were polished and sparkled like diamonds.

The windows were decorated with tons of flowers, all red and white roses. There were drapes hanging from the wall, engraved with the royal crest.

In the middle of the room, I saw Rosalie and Alice dressed in beautiful gowns, Rosalie pink, Alice green. They were both smiling.

Nice to know_ someone _was enjoying themselves.

"Disgusting, ain't it?"

My head turned around slightly. "Indeed." I answered, bitter.

It was no surprise the voice belonged to Emmet. He had a deep, entertained voice, very easygoing and confident. I felt him put a hand on my shoulder.

"Where've you been?" he asked, bemused, "Me and Jasper've lookin' for ya everywhere. We even went to Alice, but she said she didn't know. Bull Shit, if you ask me. I had a feeling she didn't wanna tell us."

He paused, waiting for a reply.

I didn't change my expression. If there was one thing I knew, it was that I would rather burn in hell then admit I lost control. There would be no end to it.

"Why were you looking for me?" I asked, pretending to sound far away.

Jasper took in a deep breath, exhaling through his nose."To give you some advice, brother."

My eyebrows rose. "..._advice_?" I made a face. "For _what_?"

Even though I would not show it, this reluctantly got my attention.

I turned around to face him. "What can you _possibly_ have to say? You're in the exact same state I am, last time I've checked."

I watched as Emmet smiled sheepishly. "Well," he mumbled, " me and Jasper were talking bout' it, and we concluded that you've never been with a girl. So...you know. We just wanted to see if you had any questions."

Again, he stopped and waited for a reaction.

"Questions?" My eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Emmet rolled his eyes."Come on Edward, you know what I mean... _Questions_."

An awkward silence passed between us, as we each stared at each other in a complete stupor. This could go on for a while. If he _was_ waiting for me to pour out my soul, he simply wasn't going to get it.

My voice sounded confused. "I'm afraid I still don't see."

Emmet's mouth opened in a Tell-Me-You're-Joking kind of way.

I wasn't.

"Ask me questions about girl stuff, _Dammit_ Edward!" he breathed, annoyed. "I swear, Carlisle's always going on about how you're some kind of genius, but he obviously ain't been around you long enough."

I frowned instantly. Girl stuff? What was he talking about?

"Ask me about pleasing the ladies, Edward! You can't have a good marriage without things heating up behind closed doors, you know."

It was at that moment the realization of where he wanted this conversation to go hit me.

My jaw dropped.

Good. **God**.

Was he _joking_?

I gave him an incredulous gawk. "Are you being _serious_?" I asked, venom in my voice, "Have you **completely**lost your mind like everybody else in this wretched house? If there was one person who had _sanity _in this home, I thought it would be you. Pleasing the ladies? Marriage? THIS IS ALL FAKE! A _SCAM_!"

I exhaled through my nose, irritated and fuming. In these final hours, was that all he could _think_ about?

"What's with the attitude?" he blurted out, hurt, "I'm being a 100 serious right now. This isn't something you can just ignore-"

"SHE'S A **HUMAN GIRL**!!" I hissed, my tone acidic, "How can I POSSIBLY please a woman of a DIFFERENT SPECIES?!"

Emmet smiled. "Hey... she's still a woman."

I moaned, rustling my hair. There was no way to get through to him. I knew that by now.

"So here are some tips-"

"_I DON'T WANT THEM._"

"Once you get married, the kiss is what a woman always dreams about. Remember: Slick, not slimy. Only use tongue when you feel she's ready-though in your case, all you have to do is read her mind-"

"ENOUGH!"

"...And _always_ think about not killing her. When making love, forever take control. Woman like aggressive guys...er-at least Rosalie does. But once in a while, ask her what-"

"THIS IS NOT THE APPROPROIATE TIME TO TALK ABOUT YOUR PORNOGRPAHIC FANATSIES-"

"Pornographic? Well, geez, Mr. Innocent, if it wasn't for those _fantasies_ you're bringing down, why do you think Carlisle and Esme go to bed early? Don't tell me you don't know that they-...Oh heeeey...are you turning _**red**_?"

I took in a sharp breath."WE HAVE NO BLOOD YOU HALF-WIT!"

Emmet sneered, obviously taking pleasure in my discomfort. "I'm _kidding_, geez. No need to-"

"LEAVE!"

"Hey, come on-"

"_I don't want your company or advice at the moment. If you insist on staying-be __**quiet**__."_

Emmet scowled, opening his mouth to say something, but then bit his lip back.

Instead, he smiled, looking **directly** at me.

I paused, and turned around, thinking I won the battle...and then almost tripped on myself.

He was showing me mental images of what he intended me to do tonight.

That. Was. It.

I brought my fist back to break into his jaw, but he leaped up in the air, missing me. I heard his obnoxious bellow of laughter bounce of the walls.

"You ain't the only smart ass here!" he called out, before disappearing around the corner, "If you have any questions, me and Jas are still up for it!"

Infuriated, I kicked the nearest thing to me, shattering it into a million pieces. Sometimes, I wondered what it would have been like to be an only child.

"Senseless Emmet." I muttered, "I wasn't made for that kind of love."

**BELLA**

My legs were starting to cramp.

I didn't move from behind the curtain, paranoid beyond belief that I would somehow get spotted.

Which wouldn't have been odd, since I usual have sucky luck anyways.

But after today, I felt like I was the unluckiest person on _earth_.

I tried to breathe slowly, attempting to be as quiet as I could.

I didn't even know if there was a person in the hall or not. The thick curtain made it impossible for me to see.

But if I wanted to blend in with the shape of the curtain, I _had_ to suffer.

Thinking about my pain, it somehow made me thankful.

If I weren't thin, there would be _no_ way I could have pulled this off.

Heh...thin.

If I ever got out of here, I _had_ to brag to Jacob that my thinness was what saved me. He always complained that I needed to meat up.

But no matter what I tried, I couldn't _change_ the way he did. This was just how I am.

I found myself thinking back, and a flashback hit me, making me remember the first time the subject came up.

"_Bella! That was AMAZING! You probably stole three days worth of supplies!"_

_I smiled, my heart getting bigger with pride. "That was nothing." I bragged, " You should see me on a GOOD day."_

_I watched as Jacob broke out into a laugh, and it wasn't long before I joined him. His laughter was so warm, so comforting._

_And oh so contagious._

"_You really are something else, Bella Swan." he said, suddenly serious. "I don't know why I never met you until now."_

_My heart fluttered. "Well, maybe you just didn't look hard enough."_

"_...Maybe."_

_I looked away, a little embarrassed with the intense stare he was giving me. I wasn't good at looking people in the eyes. I felt like they were seeing everything that I was._

"_Come on Bells, give me a hug. This loot is amazing. Once the guys back home see this, they won't be complaining about you no more. You'll be an honorary V.I.P."_

_My heart swelled, and I couldn't hide the pure happiness I felt when he said that. It was as if he was saying 'Welcome Home'._

_I giggled, beaming, while running full speed at his direction. He opened his arms and caught me, whirling me around. We both laughed._

_When he put me back on the ground, we kept our embrace for a little longer. I felt his grip tighten._

"_Whoa." he whistled, giving me another squeeze._

"_What?" I asked, face buried in his shoulder._

"_Did anybody ever tell you how thin you are?"_

_My eyes opened instantly, and I suddenly felt my cheeks burn. _

_I was always self conscious about my slender body, but for some reason, when **he** said it, it had an even worser effect on me._

_I tried to push him away, but he wouldn't budge._

"_Is that a problem?" I huffed, "Do I **feel** weird?_

_I heard Jacob take in a breath. "**WEIRD**? Not at all...if you want the truth, I **like** the way you feel. Your real soft, did you know that? Like an angel or something."_

_My prior attempt to push him away altogether stopped when he said that. My hands stopped resisting, and he used that to hug me tighter. _

_He casually rubbed his hands up and down my back to create some heat. _

_I wanted to tell him to stop._

_I didn't need heat when he hugged me like this. He was like a furnace._

"_Not a problem in the least." he went on, muttering, "The way I see it, the bigger you get, the more I can hug. The more you eat, the more **you** there is. And there ain't wrong with that at all..."_

_I felt my heart thumping._

_We stayed like that for a while longer, and he finally released me, ignoring the screams of protest in my head. He placed his hands on my shoulder, his eyes burning-with what?_

"_Let's get outta here." he sighed, stretching his back. I mumbled an 'OK' and we walked side by side. _

_My heart was beating faster then it ever did._

_Every time our hands touched, I felt a shoot of lightning jolt within me._

_And every second that passed, I tried to re-imagine us embracing and not letting go._

_It was then that I realized the truth._

_Jacob...I was in love with him._

I closed my eyes, wishing to go back to that time. The time before this day, before everything. The time where it was just Jacob and me.

And nothing else.

**Edward**

"Alright Edward." Esme was trying to fix my hair, but it was a lost cause. My hair never stayed in place. "You will stay here until you are called for. All the maidens will enter first, and then the Royal Courier will introduce you, and then you shall enter with grace and prestige..." she trailed on, stars in her eyes.

I sighed. This was much to much trouble to find a human girl.

Or Tanya.

"Are you sure that's all I must do?"

Esme patted my cheek. "Of course not dear. Say some sweet words, try and look them in the eyes-they like that. Show interest in every single one of them, and pick the one that's right for you."

I held back a smile. "You make it sound like this is real." I said, taking hold of her hand.

She gave it a tight squeeze.

"I'm a big believer in fate, Edward," she responded, eyes warm, "And I believe that whatever will happen, will happen. You may believe that this is not real-and that may be- but hear this: There's always a possibility things will turn in a different direction."

She looked into my eyes like she was trying to tell me something. I didn't know what to say.

"...But they're _human_." I protested.

"As we all once were." was her clever reply, "And there will _always_ be a human inside of us. You may not believe me, but there's still a heart in you."

She tapped my chest, making a point. I smiled. Esme was dead wrong, but her words were warm. Nothing could kinder her spirit.

"Alright Edward?"

"Alright Mother. I have the plan. Go let them in."

Esme beamed, her smile seemingly lighting up the room. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, and went down the stairs. I watched her go.

Sometimes, deep down inside of me, I wanted so much to believe in her words. But I couldn't.

"HI EDWARD!"

My eyes dropped down to the bottom of the stairs, and I saw Alice waving at me from her seat on a throne. Next to her was Jasper, holding one of her hands. Across from them on the other side of the room was Emmet and Rosalie, occupied in a conversation.

I didn't bother listening.

And in the middle front of the room sat Carlisle and Esme, hand in hand, seated on the biggest thrones. They looked like everything a king and queen should be. Beautiful, strong, confident.

A seemingly perfect family.

But something caught my attention for the first time.

All the other six members of my family were a couple. Everybody had somebody else, and they all fit together absolutely. It made me wonder:Where did _I_ fit? Was I the black sheep of this family? The outcast? Who would I sit with?

"**OPEN THE DOORS AND LET **_**IN**_** THE MAIDENS OF THE KINGDOM!!**"

My thoughts were interrupted as the trumpets sounded. The doors of the castle slowly opened, and the dying light of the sun broke through. My whole family tensed, and we all had the same thought.

"_Here we go."_

**Authors Note: **I know what you guys must be thinking. **_Hey! _**I thought the ceremony was _ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN_. Ya...it is. This is only HALF of the chapter, cause if I didn't break it into two parts, it would've been MUCH to long...but maybe I should torture you guys a bit and not put the second half up till next week...


	12. Here We Go part two

You Make Me Retch

Chapter 12 ½: Here we go

By:Maggiles

**Authors Note:** I really didn't mean to make you guys wait a week. It's just I never seemed to have time to update. I apologize. As for the chapter, it's still not finished...theres a third part. Also, I want to give a shout out to a super fan, **Jane, **thanks for being so persistent.

**Edward**

Once the doors were fully open, I almost staggered.

There were..._hundreds_ of them...maybe even _thousands_.

They were _all_ dressed up, their hair curled, their faces powdered. They even carried parasols.

I mentally slapped myself.

I should have been **more** then prepared for their numbers. Years of seclusion and secrecy must have burned at the curiosity of the villagers more then I had thought.

It was like-...I could FEEL the overwhelming wave of exhilaration coming from the women.

"Enter and bow before your rulers!" the courier bellowed, getting out a scroll "Any inappropriate behavior shall find themselves **outside** these walls then **in** them!"

One by one the maidens bowed, as they all tried to enter the doors with as much poise as they could muster. They carried their dresses with their hands, exposing tiny feet.

I rolled my eyes.

Sometimes I wondered why mortal woman insisted on having everything about them small-everything except for their hair, that is.

They all curtsied and raised their heads, only to gasp.

No doubt they were taken aback by the brilliance of the castle. Alice had seen to it that the castle of this kingdom was grander and larger then any other in the world.

I watched, unamused at their stupor.

The courier, a pudgy, pink, and rather round man jogged to the front of the crowd, holding an authorial hand in front of the ladies. The guards were soon to follow his lead, creating a sort of barrier between them and us.

"Ladies, it would do you good to stay behind this hand," the courier said, his face stern, "Any woman out of place will be thrown out straightaway. You will address King Carlisle as His Majesty, and _not_ speak to the Royal family unless asked to. YOUR KING WILL NOW ADDRESS YOU."

The woman all stood straight, their hands laced together, one big dress next to the other.

I sighed. This was not going to be good.

"Welcome Ladies." Carlisle smiled, standing from his throne, "First, on behalf of my family, we would all like to thank you for being here in our country's time of need. Please, do not be afraid."

The _moment_ Carlisle spoke, all heads were turned in his direction-only to be received by another wave of gasps and shrieks.

"He's BEAUTIFUL!"

"Absolutely stunning!"

"How can this be?"

"Amazing!"

"LOOK! It's the other royals!"

I could feel the tension Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, and Emmet felt. They did not want to come too close to the women, especially to make any contact of any kind. Even with the guards there, the women far outnumbered them.

"They're _**all**_ GORGEOUS!"

"Angels I swear!"

"Prince Jasper's so handsome!"

"Princess Rosalie's complexion is inhuman!"

"Queen Esme is simply _glowing_!"

The remarks and comments continued for a while, the woman holding themselves together, probably not believing their luck.

I picked through each and every one of them, reading their minds for some kind of amusement.

And I was not disappointed.

After going through the lot, I came to discover that one third of the woman were over forty, another small percent married, and the last of the bunch just crude and blatantly uninteresting.

Sigh...what a kingdom.

A giggle caught my ears, and I saw Alice laughing at the effort the courier made to try and control the woman. Reading her mind, she was far more excited then need be.

I frowned.

She was just like Carlisle. Fascinated by the human race.

All eyes were on the woman, though, as the guards read their names out of the scrolls.

Some were not prepared for this; They had either lied about their name or age, and were panicking, **desperate** to stay.

I was disgusted.

Why lie about something that can so easily be figured out?

Such was the human race. They did not have the right sense to think about consequences.

Nonetheless, I watched, happy to be out of view. The last thing I wanted was for all the women in the kingdom to see my face and gossip about it later.

The anxiety I felt was growing more diluted as good number of the woman were turned away, the guards escorting them out of the palace. No doubt the ones that were in wedlock or a grandmothers age.

After all the names were read, the ladies that were once in the castle were cut in half.

Much better.

"ALL THE REMAINING LADIES, LISTEN TO ME!" The courier roared, waving his hands as to emphasize his words, "ALL OF YOU GET INTO A SIGLE FILE LINE, FACING HIS AND HER MAJESTY!"

The guards did not move from their barrier stance, as we all watched the woman push and shove to get into a moderately straight line.

I was smiling.

It was a good thing this ball room was so large. If it was any bit smaller, there would be no way they would all fit.

When it was all said and done, the woman formed three lines, with a space of about ten feet between each row.

I eyed all the woman, feeling a wave of anxiousness building up inside of me.

I did not want to do this.

I mean, it was one thing to _anticipate_ the engagement, but actually _being_ in it was an _entirely_ different matter.

Just as I was about to wallow at my horrendous luck, a smell caught my nose. I swiftly turned my head, looking at the source of the scent.

It was not human.

My eyes were quick to scan, and my eyes made contact with Carlisle. He smiled, obviously sensing it too. Very slyly, he causally pointed at a group of woman, and there she was.

Tanya.

I didn't know why, but she looked better then I remembered. Her hair was curled and perfect, her attire pleasing. Her face was beautiful, and she was smiling with convection. She must think that she will be the chosen mate. Her eyes were not with the other maidens. She was looking for me.

I watched her search.

Curious, I thought, she must have doted on me more then I recalled.

She truly _did_ stand out from the other girls-but then again, we all did. If Alice and Rosalie were pushed into the bunch, they would cause as much attention as Tanya.

It was the nature of what we were, after all.

A while past, and in that amount of time, I knew that the rest of my family had figured out the secret.

I could just _hear_ them all mentally gasp as they locked eyes with Tanya.

Tanya, of course, being the collected vampire she was, just smiled at them, her white teeth exposed. Alice's head shot at my direction immediately, a huge frown on her face.

I had to stifle back a laugh. I could hear her thoughts screaming at me.

"_TANYA? How could you **not** tell me she was coming? Must you take the fun out of everything? You're obligated to marry a MORTAL, Edward. What are you planning!?"_

I didn't make eye contact with her, or the rest of my family. I didn't want to explain something even _I_ didn't know the consequences of. If they really wanted answers, they should have all directed their attention to Carlisle.

I saw Esme tense, her kind smile turned into a small grimace, as she directed her attention to Carlisle whispering into his ear. Carlisle, in response, muttered something back, as he stood up with his hands open wide.

"Ladies of the Kingdom! Each one of you are serving your country being here, and if one of you should be chosen, consider yourself fortunate: We have _quite_ the finical prince."

Small giggles broke out from the crowd, but Tanya just smiled.

The woman looked starry eyed at Carlisle.

He pointed at the guards, who automatically started playing the trumpets, the royal melody bouncing off the walls. The courier, taking the cue from the music, got himself ready to speak. He made his way towards Carlisle, opening yet _another_ scroll.

"LADIES OF THE KINGDOM, BOW YOUR HEADS IN RESPECT TO YOUR FUTURE KING: PRINCE EDWARD!"

The women were hushed, as red silk carpets rolled down the stairs from where I stood.

Maidens with flower baskets littered petals down the steps.

I mentally groaned: Was it all really necessary? In my opinion, I felt more like the royal princess.

In a sudden sweep, the curtains that concealed me were pulled away, and the light of the candles temporarily blinded me.

The women had a _hay day._

"THAT'S PRINCE EDWARD?!"

"HE'S THE MOST GORGEOUS OF THEM ALL!"

"Splendid!!"

"He's PERFECT!"

"SIMPLY DIVINE: THE MOST HANDSOME MAN IN THE WORLD!"

"BETTER THEN I IMAGINED!"

If there was one thing I was not comfortable with, it was attention. I would rather be anywhere on earth then where I was.

I felt like I was naked, utterly exposed to the raging hormones of the women below me.

Cautiously, I made my way down the steps.

The woman were eventually quiet, awed by my beauty, I suppose.

But the one person who did not swoon or speak was Tanya. She locked eyes with me, her mouth formed into a small smirk. She preformed a little curtsy, her eyes never leaving mine.

I pretended not to be affected by her alluring gestures, breaking eye contact and focusing ahead of me.

Carlisle was there to meet me at the end of the stairs, naturally, gesturing for me to follow him. He patted my back, as the crowd applauded.

"See? This isn't so bad." he whispered, not looking at me, but rather, at the crowd, "Now all you must do is make that choice."

I was about to snarl at him, until I had made the mistake of looking at Esme. She forced a weak smile, gesturing at me with her hands to form some kind of grin. Defeated, I looked at the swarm of women in front of me, and forced a pleasant facial expression.

It seemed to work.

The women went crazy.

Mixed in with the noise of the crowd, I heard the thoughts of my family around me.

Emmet looked amused. _"What? They never saw a spoiled little boy before?"_

Rosalie and Jasper had primarily the same thought, "_How sadly pathetic_."

Alice, on the other hand was beaming. _"How wonderful! They really seem to love Edward. I never knew we had such kind, nice girls in the kingdom!"_

I frowned.

Not exactly the kind of reactions I was hoping for, but then again, I should have known better. My family was _ridiculously_ optimistic about my marriage. Probably relishing in the fact that I, for once, was going to experience something they already had.

The large age gap between my siblings and I had allowed me to experience everything before them.

Now the tables were turned.

But they were foolish.

I was not here to fall in love, and deep down inside they knew it, but chose not to except it.

I whispered a response back to Carlisle, "If you could hear the thoughts these women have, you would think twice about this engagement: They have all reached their coquettish peak."

Carlisle smiled back, "Two months Edward. And take note of this:You have another choice, more willing then you deserve, right here in front of you." he made a sly motion to Tanya, who was staring us down, "She is past her human hormones, and you should find her to be astonishingly patient about these things."

I snarled, annoyed at his teasing tone. This was not the time for jokes.

I was about to bark back, but Carlisle turned to face the crowd.

"Ladies," he boomed, his voice pleasant, " I am pleased to present my youngest son, Prince Edward Cullen." The women took five minutes to applaud, then he continued, " He is the future of the kingdom, the future husband for _one_ of you."

The woman squealed in joy.

I almost gagged at the thoughts swimming inside their minds.

Carlisle paused for a moment, then went on. "Here is how it shall play: He will come around, and upon examining each and every one of you, make his decision. You will NOT talk to him unless he asks you too." -I was surprised by the sharpness of his tone here- "Why that it, you may ask, I guess you will come to find that Prince Edward has a knack for first impressions. A sort of...sixth sense, if you will."

I heard Alice giggle, while Jasper and Emmet were chuckling quietly to themselves.

"Once he makes his decision, the chosen woman will come live in the castle, until a month, where the wedding ceremony shall begin. The rest of you can indulge yourselves on the food and drink provided here."

He motioned to the tables on the right, piled high with exquisite cuisines of every kind. The chefs in our kitchen had not cooked such a meal as this for decades, and were probably over excited to show off their skills.

Carlisle turned to me, putting his hands on my shoulders.

"Alright son," he said, a smile on his face, "The rest is up to you."

**BELLA**

I opened my eyes, and was surprised that I had actually fallen asleep for a short while. But as soon as I awoke, I felt a jolt of pain burn inside my body as I realized that my neck and ribs were strained beyond mercy. Evey time I moved, I felt my eyes water.

Damn!

I _had_ to do this to myself.

I just had too.

I looked out the window, and saw that it was getting dark. If I missed my chance now, I had no idea what I would do then.

I waited for a few minutes, listening, STRAINING to hear any sounds of life outside the curtain that concealed me.

...nothing.

Even though it was dead quiet, I didn't move. I was glued to the spot.

I guess I was afraid, afraid that something else would go horribly wrong and that would be the end of me. I mean, I couldn't even _walk_. Being huddled in an uncomfortable position for that long was bound to have it's set backs. Not only that, but I had no energy.

I had not eaten since yesterday, and I had used up 90 percent of my energy running. Stupid, I thought, too many drawbacks, too many mistakes.

Hesitantly, I lifted the curtain to the side.

Nothing.

The hallway was deserted, not even a squeak of a mouse could be heard. I let out a heavy sigh, my heart pumping furiously. As quietly as I could, I detached myself from behind the curtain and almost let out a **shriek** of pain. My body hurt way too much.

Shocked by my action, my hands instinctively shot up and covered my mouth, as I wallowed in anguish.

After letting the pain pass through me, I shook my head.

"Easy Bella," I whispered to myself, "Easy now."

Giving myself a few extra minutes to relax, I immediately set out to business, looking at my surroundings, trying desperately to find a way out. The window would have been ideal, but it was bolted shut with nine-inch-thick glass.

What a weird place.

I slowly summoned up some courage, walking down the hall while frequently looking around, paranoid beyond belief that somebody was following me.

I strolled to the end of the hall, backed up against the wall, looking for any signs of life. Hoping for nothing, I suddenly heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

I bit my arm, terrified.

If I ran now, they would surely hear me.

All I could do was pray that they wouldn't come around the corner where I stood.

"Seems quiet."

"Always is. That girl is probably long gone by now."

"What a shame."

"Ya. She was real pretty."

"Heh, if she gets caught-"

"No mercy."

"Exactly."

"I'm tired of walking around here...let's go to the ball room."

"Why? You wanna see Prince Edward's engagement?"

"The most life this place has seen in decades...why not?"

"...I don't know."

"Fine. You stay."

I heard the voices running away and laughing, as I slid to the ground. I slapped my forehead.

OF COURSE!

It was the ENGAGEMENT ceremony! That's the reason why there was so many guards, the reason they were so desperate to catch me. It was all because of tonight!

I cursed myself, what a great day to be caught. Right when the Kingdom was on hyper alert.

But wait...

This could actually work to my benefit.

If I played my cards right, I could make this work for me.

I could use the distraction the ceremony was causing, and get the hell out of here.

I looked down at myself.

A plain white sheet poorly covered my naked body.

If I was going to do this, I had to do this right, I decided, absolutely no more screw ups.

Firmly tying the sheet around me in a knot, I tiptoed across the ground, frequently looking around for any guards.

Deciding the coast was clear, I made my way down pathways and staircases, away from any noises. The further down I went, though, the more light seemed to be noticeable.

I wanted to stab myself.

Was I going in deeper to the ceremony then before? I mean, what if the next corner I turned was filled with festival guests? What would I do then?

Without realizing, I was biting my lip.

I tried to think fast.

'Okay...', I thought. If I didn't make a move at all, there would be no progress.

Yet, if I DID make a move, and it was fatal, I was good as dead.

Oh my.

Sighing deeply, I pinched my face as hard as I could to get my senses flowing. I slapped my face in an effort to be more alert, and then I let my body take full control, turned around and started _running_.

I ran as fast as I could, going this way and that way, hiding here and there, avoiding any commotion.

The only thing that was getting me through this was Jacob.

Even though he wasn't here physically, I knew that he was here with me anyway, in my heart. I thought about the sheepish smile I loved, his strong bronze arms, his black laughing eyes. He gave me the strength I needed to keep fighting.

And even though every time I thought about him I blushed...

I loved him more then anything.

Minutes flew by.

Soon, I found myself in a room that was deserted, and I decided it was the perfect place to stay and think further about my plan. It wasn't the biggest room I had seen, but it was big enough. It was dark, the room having no windows and all. I felt my way around, and happened to touch an oil lamp.

Perfect.

I adjusted it, the small fire growing into a respectable size. Dim light shined and lit the room, and I was awed.

It was a beautiful.

There were ravishing Turkish rugs, all with amazingly complicated designs around the room. A gold and black piano was seated on the left side of the room, with a small writing desk on the opposite end. But that wasn't what caught my attention.

It was the paintings littered all over the walls.

There were _dozens_ of tapestry's, portraits-of all different people.

The royals, I presumed.

I walked around, dazed.

The first picture I saw caught my breath.

It was a BEAUTIFUL blond woman.

Her skin was pale and flawless, her hair waving in golden curls. Her eyes were sky blue, her lips pink and full. How could anyone look so glorious?

Soon, I moved on to the next. Hmmm...spiky black hair with big brown eyes.

She was beautiful also, but in a different way. She looked much more energetic and blissful. Next to her was a blond boy, gorgeous beyond description. I assumed they were together...they're faces were kind, their eyes full life.

The next picture was of another blond man, but older, and an older gorgeous woman. They were so splendid looking...so surreal.

It must have been the king and queen.

If I lived through this and told others, no one would believe me. I could never describe their beauty.

It was too much.

How could any people look like angels? They were glorious, as if the good Lord had sent them down to Earth. I had never in my wildest dreams imagined anyone as fair looking.

Minutes flew by, and I forgot everything else except the pictures. My head was mesmerized by them, and I felt like nothing else was more worthwhile then looking at the portraits.

They...they made me feel good...

It was strange...like their faces could manipulate your feelings.

Even though I didn't want to, my eyes reluctantly moved on. I walked around the room, my eyes glued to the wall.

And then I saw it.

It was a small painting, by far, small-but hidden. It was covered by a sheet, the sheet full of dust. It looked like no one had been in this room for a while, why, though, I didn't understand.

I _knew_ that I should've left the picture alone.

The fact that it was _covered_ showed that it was off limits...

But I was just so curious...who was behind the sheet?

Hesitantly, I reached for it, pulling off the covering in one sweeping motion.

Dust flew all around me like a storm, and I had little coughing spasms. My hands flashed around me, trying to push away the pesky little particals away from my breathing space.

As soon as all the mess was gone, my eyes took the time to focus on what was in front of me.

It was then that I nearly fell down.

It was the _**DEMON**_ from earlier that day.

Oh.My.God.

He was there! Right there next to everyone else! He was dressed magnificently, though his clothes were a _tad bit_ outdated from the clothes people wore today.

But that wasn't important.

It was his face.

He was actually **smiling**.

The corners of his mouth were pulled up in a small grin, his eyes a magnificent light green. His smile was warm, his eyes kind.

My heart fluttered.

It was funny.

He had looked so much different from when I had seen him. His face was hard-solemn. His eyes cold...and strangely amber.

How could this be?

He said he worked at the palace...it was _unheard_ of to have a portrait done as beautifully as this one, and to have it done of a _servant _no less.

Stumped, I examined the picture again.

Maybe there was a reason, some sort of clue that could make sense.

There was_ no way_ he was important enough to be painted...no way he had any ties with the Royal Family...

And yet...

I traced along his picture, my finger following the lines of his face, trailing down his cheek to his chin.

He had the same fierce beauty as the rest of the royals...the same ghostly features.

He looked no older then seventeen, making him the youngest of the men in the portraits.

It was then that I realized.

He...he was Prince Edward.

I covered my mouth, shocked.

My heart was accelerating, my head filled with memories and blood, pulsing every second.

It was the biggest rush I had ever felt.

It was then that another big realization hit me.

If I was dead before...then I would be _extinct_ now.

"Oh God," I whispered, my head growing dizzy, "No way..."

My knees grew weak, and I tried backing up as far as I could away from the wall.

It looked like his eyes were piercing through mine, his face staring directly at me, accusing.

What had I gotten myself into?

I guess I backed up too far, because I bumped right against the piano, causing it to boom with noise. I yelped in surprise, the sound scaring me out of my wits. I tried to make it silent, but the noise still echoed for quite a while.

After it settled, I slid to the ground, my hand clutching my chest.

Oh no, I thought, oh no...

I buried my face in my hands, frustrated. What was I doing? How did this happen? What was GOING to happen? I held myself for a while, letting all my emotions flow through me. Fear, anxiety, anger, shock, hopelessness, pain, despair ...all of it.

I heard myself breathing, and I tried to center myself.

'Breathe,' I whispered, trying to calm myself, 'In and out...in and out.'

While I tried to get a grip on myself, I didn't hear the light footsteps entering the room. I was lost in my own little world, completely oblivious to my surroundings.

I should've known better.

It was then that it all happened quickly.

Somebody _pounded_ on the piano-where I was against, of course-and the intense noise of it's keys made me scream in shock.

I swear that I had popped both my eardrums.

I jumped up, and found myself facing four guards, all surrounding me.

"Shit!" I hissed, wanting to kill myself. How stupid could I be?

"Wow...your right, Wilson. She IS pretty."

A guard licked his lips, while rubbing his hands together profusely.

I heard another whistle, while the other three guards laughed.

I felt disgusted. I hated these men.

"Told you, didn't I?"

The man facing me, some tan guy in a thick mustache, pulled out his sword. He pointed it at my neck, my body flinching involuntarily.

"Thank you for leading us to you." he said, a smile in his voice, "And here we thought you were some magnificent escape artist. Turns out, you're nothing but a mouse."

I gulped, cold sweat trickling down my face.

This was not good.

I had to think of something to do.

"Look guys!" the guard from earlier yelped, eager, "She's wearing notin' but a sheet! Let's get you properly dressed..."

My heart was pounding feverently as he came closer, the other three guards in the back, watching.

In any other situation, tears would have came: But now was _definitely_ not the time.

"Come here, kitty," he breathed, cooing, "Don't be afraid. You ain't gonna die _yet_ anyways."

He reached out, quickly, and grabbed the knot by my breast. My eyes narrowed.

"Don't you dare." I whispered, hatred building inside of me, "Don't you even."

The venom in my voice seemed to work to some extent.

He stopped, hesitant.

What a fool.

I laughed, probably losing my mind from the stress level. I mean, what did I have left to lose? My life, pride, and freedom were already gone...what the hell?

The guy did not seem to like my hysterical giggle, because his face became hard immediately, and the grip he had on my knot grew tighter.

"WENCH!" he screeched, pulling off the sheet with all the strength he had, "WHAT A FOOL YOU ARE TO MOCK ME!"

Instead of panicking, like what a normal person would do, I just smiled.

Haha.

It was funny how I could stop time.

Really...When he was in the process of pulling off my sheet, it was as if I had frozen us all in mid-action, and I thought about a plan.

After a few milliseconds, I came up with one.

The white sheet flew in the air, and I decided to use it to bring him down and get to the door. As soon as he pulled it off, I started spinning, grabbing the end of the sheet and charging straight at him.

I brought my hand forward-a trick I learned from Jacob- and ran it up his nose.

He screamed, a loud crack audible in the small room.

He had broken his nose, and by the sound of it, badly.

As he fell back in pain, the other guards became alarmed, all pulling out their weapons. I grabbed my sheet, and watched as a second guard lunged at me, his blade pointed at my chest. Being as quick as possible, I clutched the sheet with both hands, and as _soon_ as the blade came forward, tied it around the sword, while kicking him in his manhood.

He shrieked, and fell, as I whipped the sword out of the sheet, catching it in my hand. I jumped on the guards face-another shriek of pain-and kicked the guard who was next to him down. While I raised my leg, I grabbed the last guard's arm and _plunged_ my newly required sword into his pelvis.

Weird how loud a human being could be.

The guy's scream was so earsplitting, it scared me.

His knees buckled, and he staggered against the wall. His blood was spraying out all over the ground, all over the men. Acting on instinct, I grabbed my blood soaked sheet, quickly tying it around me as fast as I could manage, and bolted out and through the door.

"Shit!" I cursed, "SHIT SHIT SHIT!"

I ran as fast as I could, not knowing where I was heading, where I would end up. I looked back-a fatal mistake-and saw two guards limping out the room, screaming for help.

"GET HER!" they shrieked, "GET THAT HARLOT! _DON'T LET HER ESCAPE_!!"

There were small bangings and yells coming from the hall, and it made me run even faster.

I heard rushed footsteps.

I heard shrieks at my direction.

I heard swords being unsheathed, and threats coming my way.

I knew that they were right behind me.

And I knew that I was as good as dead.

"Jacob..." I thought, eyes closed, "...help me."


	13. Here we go part three

You Make Me Retch

Chapter 12 part 3: Decided

By:Maggiles

Authors Note: YES.

"_Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence."_

_-Oscar Wilde_

**Bella**

"Jacob...help me."

My feet kept running...and Jacob was not coming.

I knew I was foolish to keep wishing for him...he probably had no idea where I was right now. I mean,_ I_ wouldn't even believe I was where I was.

In the PALACE.

The place where once you entered, you never left.

"COME BACK HERE WENCH!"

My breathing got harder as I looked behind me, saw the guards getting closer and closer.

I was much too exhausted to keep running. My lungs were burning, but somehow I kept going. The adrenaline in me was pumping so hard, I couldn't stop even if I wanted to.

It was fight or flight, and I was sure as hell flying.

_'What am I going to do?'_ I mentally screamed, '_Where can I go?'_

I never liked people telling me what to do. In fact, I hated it so much. Even if my own mother told me not to do something, or to do something, I would do the complete opposite.

Immature, I know.

But right now...there was nothing I wanted more. I wanted someone to tell me where I could go, how to hide, how to get the heck out of here.

But of course, that wasn't going to happen.

"WE WILL KILL YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME? _**KILL YOU!"**_

The guards were screaming other unpleasant profanities at me, well...more threats then anything else. But really, if they wanted me to stop, was that the smartest thing to say? In my opinion, they should've been screaming, 'Sweety, stop running, and we'll set you free!'

What complete morons.

Trying to block them out of my head, I focused on my situation and surroundings.

The farther I ran, the more light seemed to protrude in front of me. I heard voices and footsteps, and smelled food.

_'Oh no._...' I thought, '_Oh no!'_

If I _was_ heading towards the kitchen, which I'm sure I was, I was dead.

I might not know much, but I DID know that the kitchen was where many lovely sharp knives were kept, all suitable for killing one crazy girl.

I shut my eyes as tight as I could.

But then in my insanity, something clicked.

This might not be all bad.

If I could twist around the situation, things might actually work to my advantage. All I had to do was turn the tables. I was an OK distance from the guards behind me...it might give me just enough time to run in there and grab a handful of blades and use them.

There were probably a hell of a lot of consequences also, but I was so desperate, I didn't want to think about failing.

This was it.

If this didn't work, I couldn't keep it up. This was my absolute last chance of survival.

"GET HER BEFORE SHE GOES INSIDE! FOOLS! _SHE MUST NOT GO INSIDE!_!!"

At that point, I started to make these weird noises-no doubt from my over panicking-and I forced myself to run faster. I almost collapsed, exhausted, but kept lurching forward. My heart felt like there was this immense pressure, and it _hurt_. There was a lump in my throat that I couldn't get rid of, and I felt the biggest wave of fear rush through me.

I would die if this didn't work.

I would be gone...forever.

It was one thing to joke about it, but having it actually HAPPEN...it was a lot different, let me tell you.

Giving a last second weak attempt at a prayer, I ran forward, clasped the handle on the beautifully decorated door, and went inside.

**Edward**

"The rest is up to you."

Carlisle looked me in the eyes, and I did not see the menacing look he had had earlier. He looked just like he always had-kind.

But I wasn't in the mood for his making-up moment.

Unless he called off this insanity _right_ now, he was still on my contempt list. Nevertheless, I tried one last time-a feeble effort-to plead with Carlisle.

"PLEASE..." I muttered lowly, so no one else could hear-especially my family, "Last chance. Think about the consequences! Carlisle...you have the power to stop all this right now...just a flick of your hand will do!"

My eyes searched his, as I desperately tried to read his mind.

A wasted endeavor of course. Nothing.

Carlisle, instead, smiled, patting my shoulder jubilantly. "If I were to call off this engagement, my dear boy, how would that make Alice feel after all the trouble she put into it? Edward, it's about time you thought less of yourself, and get some family values."

A crafty slap to the face was what it felt like.

I almost snarled

.

But I withheld, knowing we had a large audience watching our body language.

Instead, I faked a smile, and turned around-I did _not_ want to look at him at the moment.

What a fool...did he not understand that I WAS thinking about the family? That this engagement put not only myself-but everyone else in danger? How could he _not_ see it? How could he not WANT to see it?

I inhaled deeply, letting the cool air calm my mind. If he _was_ dead set on this...and I mean dead set...I had no other choice. I had to be wise-careful of my decision. A human was not acceptable...but was Tanya? If I chose her, then she would be here forever-which was a problem-and what plan did she seem to have with Carlisle?

On the other hand, if I chose a human, how could I...how could _we_ hide everything that we were for those few months? She would be curious, a trait that was most unbecoming of humans. How would the wedding night go? What would she say if she felt no heart beat?

Either way, there were endless problems, equal consequences.

I gave one last look at Carlisle.

"Is this your final decision?" I asked, my voice cold.

I watched as Carlisle looked me in the eyes, his face changing back into his sly facade. He stopped smiling, and gave me the most platonic answer yet.

"Yes."

We both didn't say anything for the longest moment, and kept our silence until we knew we had to break it.

I took a deep breath and looked forward, facing the human women.

"So be it." I muttered, anger baking inside of me.

I didn't move for a few minutes, just looked over all the woman, measuring their numbers. Then I exhaled through my nose, attempting to calm myself. I took a step forward.

Immediately, all the woman had taken a breath, and stood with as much poise as they possessed. They were all trying to impress me: I did not need to read their minds to know that.

It was written all over their faces.

But I _was_ rather uncomfortable with the fact that my siblings were here to witness the event. It seemed like a more personal occasion, and I was very aware of their burning eyes on my back.

But I had no choice but to endure it.

Before I got _too_ close to the women, I took precautions. I subtly stopped breathing, and my family taking note of this, all did the same. This was definitely not the time or place to let an accident slip.

I stopped by the first woman closest to me.

She had brown hair, freckles and was rather plump. I smiled. "Hello madam," I said, looking into her eyes, "What is your name?"

She didn't reply. She just stared at me, her mouth open in a small 'O' shape. She was undoubtley mesmerized by me. I almost rolled my eyes.

"Madam?" I asked, eyebrows raising. From the corner of my sight, I saw Alice and Jasper shaking with laughter into their hands. I frowned.

This was humiliating.

After a few more seconds of complete silence, I sighed. "I shall come back." After a small hasty bow, I moved on.

But it was all in vain, apparently.

With all the other maidens I faced, they all had primarily the same reaction. It was only after I left did they snap back to life and gasp as they watched me leave, jealously looking at their competition. I took no notice of them, because after a while, I had finally reached Tanya.

She flashed a brilliant smile at me, as I took her hand and kissed it.

"We meet again." she said, her eyes enticing.

"It would seem so." I replied, my mouth forming into a small smile.

I didn't understand **why** I was actually enjoying this conversation. Maybe it was because she was the only maiden so far that could form words.

Or maybe it was because she was just so beautiful.

I mean, of course she far surpassed the other women in the room-all the other maidens glared at her with envy-but yet again: We all were.

It was not only her looks.

She was attractive to me on a _different_ level.

I remembered her to be pleasantly witty, and intellectually on the same scale as me.

In all truth, she **would've** been the ideal mate: Attractive, Wise, 'Vegetarian'-something unheard of in our kind-and probably someone I wouldn't go crazy with for all eternity.

And yet...I could not trust her. She was planning something with Carlisle...something he chose not to tell me: probably in fear I would oppose.

I gripped her hand.

Tugging her forward, I brought her a few feet away from the other maidens, to have some privacy. I did not want them hearing our conversation.

Of course I should've known that they wouldn't take this special seclusion quietly. A wave of objection and jealous remarks surfaced, as the guards tried to contain them.

"ONE MORE WORD OUT OF YOU LOT, _**AND YOU'RE ALL OUT!"**_ The courier screamed, getting red in the face, "_THIS BEHAVIOR IS FAR FROM ACCEPTABLE_!"

He had looked angry, pointing a threatening finger towards the maidens.

At once they all became placid, their faces morphed into utter rage.

Tanya looked on, a smile on her face.

"Looks like you have many fans," she said, her eyes turning towards me, "I guess I have more competition then I had thought."

She was teasing me, I knew that. But I was suddenly not in the mood for games. I gave a quick glance at Carlisle, and saw him paying very close attention to the two of us. His eye did not budge from mine.

I looked away, bringing Tanya closer.

"Carlisle tells me you two have kept in contact...he had given you a offer."

Right away, Tanya's eyes became sly.

"An offer? To me? The way I remember it, Edward, he had given one to _you_."

I flinched.

Maybe she was _too_ witty.

"Yes..." I replied slowly, "an offer. But tell me, what is in it for you?"

She smiled. "For me? Why _you,_ of course. I hope you understand that picking a human girl is a deranged choice...but _me_, I suit you far better then anyone else..." she locked eyes with mine, "And you know that, don't you?"

I saw her mouth curve into a grin.

I didn't react. Looking rather indifferent, I got aggressive. "Look," I muttered, low, so no one could hear, "Let's end this game and get straight to the point :Just what is it that Carlisle and you have planned?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

My smile vanished. "You know what I mean. Carlisle has been acting...strange lately...-sinister even. He's hiding something from me...I know it. And I also know it has something to do with you."

I expected her to seem dismayed, but she looked completely unsurprised.

"I suppose I didn't give you enough credit..." she sighed, "You seem to have caught on. Not that I blame Carlisle: You always WERE the clever one of the bunch."

My eyes narrowed.

She continued, "If you want to know the situation, Edward," she stared at me, her eyes on fire, "Then..."-coming dangerously close, she put her lips to my ear, "you must choose me."

At that, she backed away slowly, giving me a small curtsy as she walked back in her place among the maidens.

So there WAS something going on...or maybe there was nothing at all, and she was just playing with my mind.

My nose flared as I looked at Carlisle, his eyes stone cold. I brought my gaze back at the women, back at Tanya, whose smile seemed almost sinful now.

I felt something inside of me break.

I had no other choice...my hands were completely tied.

I HAD to choose Tanya.

Regaining my composure, I reluctantly-and slowly- walked to the center of the room and cleared me throat.

The courier motioned for the trumpets to start playing, and once that was over, I eyed my audience.

My voice was somewhat hoarse as I bellowed. "I, Prince Edward, Son of King Carlisle, has found a queen amongst one of you."

The women all tensed.

I beckoned the courier, who ran over with a silk pillow. From that pillow, I picked up the diamond band that would seal my fate.

"She is a women that I believe to have great love, and wisdom to rule with a fair hand... And her name is-"

_**BAM!!**_

At that moment, the doors to the ball room BURST open, the sheer sound of it echoing and bouncing off the walls were great enough to wake up the whole kingdom.

Clanks and screaming voices of metal armor and men added to the disturbance, as all eyes immediately turned to the source.

What in all the seven hells...?

From the doors, a person dressed in nothing but what appeared to be a bed sheet, ran inside, screaming, "GIVE ME YOUR KNIVES OR DIE!"

The whole room was silent.

My eyebrows were raised at the peculiarity of it all. To put it quite bluntly, it was downright weird.

I-as well as the rest of the crowd- watched as the person stopped dead in their tracks, eyes growing wide with horror.

Before we could react, however, guards rushed in, covered in full battle attire, swinging their swords into the air. The person-appearing to be female-yelled in protest as the guards all ran at her, tackling her to the ground.

It was quite a sight.

The courier seemed to be the only person to recover from the scene, as he ran to the center of the room, completely furious. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" he roared, turning blue, "HAVE YOU ALL LOST YOUR MINDS? HOW _DARE _YOU DISPLAY THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR AT THE ROYAL ENGAEMNET CEREMONY?!"

Even though it would not seem like it, the courier was quite an intimidating mortal to behold when angered. The guards instinctvley brought the screaming girl to her feet, as the all tried to hold her, forcing her to bow with them.

One guard spoke. "I'm sorry your Highnesses," he breathed, "But we have been chasing down an assassin, a thief! She has been hiding and reeking havoc in the palace the whole day! She was a threat needed to be taken care of."

"Show her face."

One guard grabbed her hair and pulled her face up.

She was ranting, her face absolutely seething in hatred. "YOU_** PIGS!"**_ she screeched, "LET ME GO! DON'T TOUCH ME WITH YOUR ROTTEN HANDS! _DON'T TOUCH ME_!"

As you can probably imagine, we vampires don't carry much memories around. We see so much, we filter what's important with what's not. And in any other case, this creature would not spark any thing in me, until I had a sudden flashback.

It was then that my whole life changed.

I squinted, in complete and utter disbelief, just to make _sure_ I was correct.

"No..." I whispered, "It _couldn't_ be."

The whole room was still as I walked across the floor, my gaze locked on the prisoner held to the ground. I knew that all eyes were on me, but I ignored them, even if it was a rather rude thing to do. As I approached, the guards saw me coming, and all fell to their knees, forcing the girl down with them. After a few seconds, I was within reach.

"Life her face." I commanded, skeptical, "Now."

The guards grunted in reply, and pulled her hair up. Her face got lifted as a result, and we made eye contact.

Her teeth were grinding together. She started to scream, "GET AWAY FROM ME YOU-"

And at once she became silent.

I became silent.

Her mouth formed into an "O" shape, her eyes wide with disbelief.

My eyebrows rose.

"Well, well," I whispered, entirely in a daze, "If it isn't my little convict."

**Bella**

No.

This was not happening.

There was NO way.

Standing in front of me was the demon from earlier...the PRINCE. The sole reason I was in this mess, the reason I was in pain and frightened, the reason I was miserable.

The reason was _HIM_.

Anger seeped through my skin, as I felt a new wave of energy flow through me. All I wanted to do was lash out and hurt him, punch his brains out and scar his pretty face.

But there was also a part of me that wanted to hit _myself._

Even though I would NEVER admit it, I was **awed** by his appearance His clothes looked amazing...magnificent. He looked more beautiful then ever, stunning, impossibly so. I shut my eyes and shook my head to get those thoughts away from my mind.

When I regained my senses, I glared at him.

"IT'S _YOU_!" I bellowed, lashing out as much as I could with the confinement of the guards, "YOU'RE A DEMON! NOT HUMAN! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAUL-"

I was prepared to say more, but the guards had taken a cloth from somewhere and gagged my mouth closed. I coughed, having a spasm, as I felt myself about to puke. I lashed out, as if I was possessed.

Just in case you were wondering,I was more than aware of the audience watching.

I heard sudden waves of gasps and whispers throughout the entire room, curious and hard eyes watching me.

My stomach churned.

It was as if they thought I was some type of...of..._show, _some kind of clown for them to watch.

It made me sick.

A guard had pinched my back, and the pain of it made my eyes water. I collapsed on the floor, completely wasted.

"You will address him as _His Highness_ you little worm!" one guard spat in my ear, his hands tight on my shoulders.

I had no strength left to do anything back. I was just tried, just so tired of all of this.

I stared at the devil as he watched, and his face suddenly became very hard. He shot an enraged glance at the guards.

"Don't touch her." he growled, dangerously low, "Don't you _ever_ put your hands on her _again_."

His hands clenched together.

My eyes widened.

Whoa.

What?

I thought I was dreaming.

Hadn't he tried to kill me a few hours earlier? What was he saying? In any case, the guards really didn't know how to react to that. They just looked at each other, absolutely confused, just as I was. In a complete stupor, I couldn't take me eyes off of him.

He sounded angry...provoked.

The demon didn't seem to appreciate their hesitation, because he reached over, _pushing_ the guards back. And once again, I got to witness his amazing strength as they all seemed to fall back.

You could imagine my surprise. That was the LAST thing I thought he would do. I didn't know how to respond...what to think.

After one more icy glare at the men, he slowly bent down to my level. His eyes were on fire, searching into mine. I tried to look away.

I didn't like intense stares.

After a few seconds, I saw his hand reach out to touch me, but I flinched away. He stopped, frowning.

"What is her crime?" he asked, authority in his voice. He pointed to a guard, "You. Tell me."

The flimsy man bowed on his knees and stuttered, "She...she had hurt our men-stabbed one-hid out in the palace the whole day, escaping arrest. Sh-she...she has a record of thievery...she now faces the death punishment."

I shuddered. Even the SOUND of it was enough to make your bones chill.

I watched for his reaction. I saw his eyes widen in surprise, but he was fast to regain his composure. He looked down at me and gave a small whistle.

"Wow, little captive" he whispered, "...what more trouble could you cause?"

The gag still tied to my mouth, I couldn't say anything. Beads of sweat rolled down my face as my chest heaved up and down, greedily drinking in as much oxygen as I could. I did not take my eyes off of him.

He suddenly scowled, eying me.

"What in all the _world_ are you _wearing_..."

His voice got cut off, as he seemed to notice the blood stains. I don't know if it was just my imagination, but he seemed to tense. And soon, he had that sort of wild look he had shown earlier.

His eyes looked away, and I swear it looked like he wasn't breathing.

But maybe that was my hysteria playing tricks on me.

"Two of you stay here and hold her down...the rest, come with me."

As soon as the orders were given, I felt two strong hands clamp around me, holding me in place.

Not liked it mattered: I wasn't going anywhere.

The rest of the guards followed the devil, who seemed to be beckoning some other fancy people around him.

What was he planning?

My death?

My banishment?

In any case, the longer he took the better. The more minutes I had to live. Still being held down, I had nothing to do but anticipate the next few moments.

I took the opportunity to glance and really take notice of my surroundings. I mean, this might be the last time I could ever see.

As soon as I did, I was mesmerized.

It was a _beautiful_ room, elegant and masterfully decorated, shimmering with gold dust. As my eyes roamed around, I finally got to the large crowd, their eyes agaze on me. I felt my cheeks burn. This was humiliating. I have made myself out to be a fool to the kingdoms best. And what was worse, they were all whispering. I could only imagine what they were saying. I decided to stop and look away. It wasn't doing me any good to acknowledge them. Nothing I did would stop their gossip, so I decided to act like they were invisible.

As my eyes wandered a little farther, it was then I held my breath.

It was the royal family!

I had recognized them at once...their pictures were still fresh in my memory. Ever single one of them had their eyes glued on me, with some rather unhappy looks.

It was the hardest thing to do, but I looked away again, for once, feeling the shame and embarrassment.

Rather, I turned my attention to the devil, who had the king by his side.

**Edward**

I was absolutely shocked to find her here.

But then again, there was a part of me that was expecting it.

As I watched her on the floor, I was glad I had taken precaution. I could not act as shamefully as I had earlier.

She had screamed at me, and I was more the prepared to accept it, but then something had happened. A guard had foolishly pinched her, causing her to fall to the ground in anguish.

It shouldn't have bothered me.

I shouldn't have cared one way or the other.

But for some reason...seeing HER in pain had caused something in me to snap.

I had felt like ripping off the man's head, breaking his bones and feeding him to the dogs. It was this feeling I never felt...something I couldn't describe as anything else.

Anger.

Just sheer, blinding anger...as if they were destroying something important. Something _essential._

But years of practice had taught me to be in control of my feelings. Instead, I calmed myself slowly, one hand balled into a fist.

"Don't touch her." I growled, my voice threatening, "Don't you EVER put your hands on her AGAIN."

The guards looked stunned-frightened even-as they looked at each other, _completely_ ignoring my command. I saw the girl's eyes widen in astonishment, no doubt just as shocked as I was by my reaction.

I didn't know what was wrong with me.

But what I DID know, was that I was getting angry. An ugly emotion, an emotion determined to get lashed out. I stepped forward and pushed the humans away, causing them to fall back.

Not the brightest idea, but then again, I wasn't thinking clearly.

I glanced at a guard, cowering on the floor.

"What is her crime?" I asked, my voice cold. I pointed to the guard, "You." I said, " Tell me."

The guard-a flimsy man by nature-got on his knees and stuttered, "She...she had hurt our men-stabbed one-hid out in the palace the whole day, escaping arrest. Sh-she...she has a record of thievery...she now faces the death punishment."

My eyebrows rose.

Wow.

...strangely impressive.

I almost stifled back a laugh.

This girl was undoubtley insane.

It made me wonder how she had lived to be this old at all.

"Wow, little captive...what more trouble could you cause?" I whistled, in utter disbelief. She didn't say anything, which didn't surprise me since she had a gag on. I decided not to take it off...who knows what else she could say with that mouth of hers.

She had already seen too much for her own good. I did not need the rest of the kingdom to listen to her profanities.

It was then that the realization hit me as to what she was wearing.

A bed sheet.

I looked her up and down, taking in her exposed flesh, which seemed sinfully soft and slender. My eyes moved up to her chest, which was poorly covered. I felt my stomach churn.

I suddenly felt...shy.

What was wrong with me?

Why should I have cared?

She was a mortal...a HUMAN.

There was no _way_ I could be aroused by her.

But it wasn't that mere sight that caused me to turn away. It was the sight of blood.

She had blood stains _all _over her sheet. I tensed, the hairs on the back of my neck rising. Was it her blood? Or someone else's? I made sure that I wasn't breathing, my eyes looking the other direction.

"Two of you stay here and hold her down...the rest, come with me."

I motioned for the group of humans to follow, leading them to the center of the room. I also motioned for Carlisle to come join me. His eyes were cold, curious. He slowly arose, walking steadily towards me. The courier also came, and we formed a small circle, away from the curious ears of the crowd.

"What are you doing, Edward?" Carlisle whispered, unhappy, "What do you need now? And why did you go to that girls aid?"

His eyes glanced at the maiden, giving her a good look over. I ignored him, focusing my attention at the courier.

"You." I said, giving him direct attention, "What are the laws about the death penalty?"

The courier's cheeks flushed, as he looked inside his ridiculously large bag of scrolls, rummaging around. Finally, he lifted one, opened it and read. He looked at me.

"It says, Your Majesty, that whomever deservest of the death penalty shall be shown no type of mercy. They will be hanged untill suffocation, in the dungeon."

I flinched.

That was...not good.

I gave a quick look at the girl, her eyes watching me. For some reason...I did not like the thought of her dying. I was out of my mind, but that seemed to be the case for the whole majority of the day.

I brought my gaze back to him.

"What about sanctuary?" I asked, my voice hard, "She can call sanctuary and live in the church."

The courier whispered to the guards, and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Your Highness,"he mumbled, "But that women seems to have over thrown any sort of loop hole in the law. She has no other punishment or escape possible. She must die."

I felt my anger rising. "She _must _die? Do you know who you are addressing? I'm the _prince_ of this country, you senseless, pompous, fool!"

I saw the courier flinch, cowering in front of me. He was mumbling apologies over and over, but I silenced him.

"You shall set her free." I ordered, "Let her go and forgive her of all her crimes. Do it now."

The courier did not move. "NOW." I hissed, my patience running dry. The courier took a step back, shaking.

"I'm sorry Your Majesty," he stuttered, "But only the KING can order that command, and you are not it yet. It all depends on His Grace."

The courier and guards all bowed to Carlisle, his hand on his chin. I wanted to stab myself. Why him?

"What has taken over you, Edward?" Carlisle mused, "Why are you so set on this girl? What is she to you?"

I said nothing.

"Just let her go." I finally whispered, my eyes burning into his, "Now. Let her go _now_."

Carlisle and I, along with the rest of the guards, stood in silence as we all awaited Carlisle's reply. His eyes were watching me, occasionally wandering to the girl behind me.

"What is her name?" he finally asked, still looking at her, "Tell me."

A guard bowed his head. "Her name is Isabelle Marie Swan, My lord. She is the estranged daughter of Charlie Swan, Chief guard of the palace."

My head shot up, eyes wide.

So THAT was her name...

Carlisle stifled back a laugh. "You are serious? My oh my...she IS very special after all."

I still couldn't understand it.

How many more secrets did she have left to discover?

"Just dismiss her, Father. Don't waste anymore time." I whispered, hating myself for jave bringing him forth in the first place.

Carlisle stopped his quiet laughter and watched me, his eyes searching. He continued this for a few minutes, until he finally cleared his throat.

"No." he said, his tone indifferent, "She will face her punishment."

My mouth opened in shock, my eyes burning with rage.

"WHAT?" I hissed, getting dangerously close to him, "What did you say?"

"I said no."

Carlisle didn't seem intimidated by me. He spoke again. "You have been very foolish this whole day Edward. Judging by your behavior, this girl has something to do with it. If you will take my place, you do not need any distractions. No. She will not be set free. That is my final word."

I couldn't speak. Words did not form. All I felt was unimaginable rage building inside of me. I stood, quiet, staring at Carlisle as he stared right back. The courier was the only one to break the silence.

He bowed. "As you command, My lord."-he pointed to the guards- "Take her away."

The guards grunted a reply, then slowly walked back to where she laid. I shot a glance at her. She looked terrified.

Now what was I to do?

What COULD I do?

She would be dead before I had the time to do anything about it.

My mind was racing.

There had to be a way.

Something...something.

I looked back again, my body tensing as I saw them reach her, pulling her up. She gave a yell of pain, and then it hit me.

Oh no.

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

That..._couldn't_ be it. In the desperation of it all, I had finally come up with a desperate plan. But it was so insanely foolish, I couldn't possibly pull it through. As I tried to wave it aside, I heard her scream, thrashing around to escape.

It was then that I knew I had no other choice.

Gulping, I cursed myself, screaming inside of my mind that I was crazy. I looked at the crowd, saw my family, saw the maidens, saw Tanya giving me all curious looks. I glanced at Carlisle, frowning, at the courier, who looked the other direction.

I shut my eyes.

"STOP!" I bellowed, pointing at the guard from across the room, "HALT!"

At once the guards stopped moving, as they turned to face me, the girl held by them. Her face was wild, as her eyes met mine. I didn't take my eyes off of her.

"Quick, " I said, waving my hand, "Get me the ring."

The courier made these weird noises, as he fumbled for it. With my hand outstretched, he placed in into my palm, as I gripped it, my knuckles turning whiter the usual.

I took a step forward.

Carlisle seemed to sense what I was doing, for he stretched his arm out to stop me, but then pulled it back. He was watching me, observing.

I knew that.

The whole room was silent, and I could actually FEEL the tension in the air, thick and burdening as my footsteps were the only sound that could be heard. Her eyes were still on me, skeptical.

As I came closer, the guards seemed to tense, as they backed up slowly, leaving the girl to one man, who held her by the shoulders.

Closing my eyes, I finally reached them.

My sight never left hers, and she seemed to be wondering what I was going to do next. The guards looked curious, and only the faint sound of her breathing penetrated the moment.

Gulping, I slowly bent on one knee, and stared at her as her espression became pure disbelief.

And then I let hell loose.

"Will...will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened with ultimate shock. Even though I couldn't read her mind, I knew what she was thinking.

Is he crazy?

And I could only answer that question with this.

Yes.

**Jacob**

I stood and watched as the sun made it's way down, my hands clenched together, balling into tight fists.

Where was Bells?

I had left her to only five guards...and I knew perfectly well she could take them down easy. She was tougher then she looked.

But if that were the case...where did she go? It's already been **hours** since the chase.

I thought long and hard, and almost had a heart attack.

What if...what if she got caught?

As my heart was pounding with shock value, a twig snapped behind me.

My body already pumped, my instincts took over me, and I just lashed out.

I grabbed my blade and whipped it across my body, as it flew straight toward the intruder.

"OH SHIT!"

Quil's eyes opened wide as he ducked and fell to the ground. The blade had just missed his head, and instead, went through a tree. When I saw it was just dumb old Quil, I sighed, letting my guard down.

"Sorry Pal." I offered, taking a few steps near him, "Thought you were one of those stupid, dressed up freaks."

"_Sorry?"_ he spat,down right peeved, "You almost _killed_ me, and all you can say is _SORRY_?"

"...my bad?"

Quil threw his hands in the air, obviously giving up. "I don't know why I even bother..." He shot his legs forward, lurching back on his feet, no sweat at all.

His face became serious.

"Any sign of her, Jake?" he asked, his eyes searching, "The guys are getting worried. Her mom's been freaking out too, you know...Embry's over there right now trying to calm her down."

He waited for a reply, but I didn't know what to say. Bella would have come back by now, straight here. She wasn't one to wander about.

"I don't know." I mumbled, eyebrows scrunched together, "She was just running away, man, nothing new...there's no way she would get caught."

Quil scoffed. "Are you kidding? Jake...she's the biggest klutz in this world. I have no trouble seeing her tripping over a pebble, rolling down a hill, falling right into one of those bastards swords."

My nose flared, as my hand swiftly shot out and clenched Quil's shirt, my eyes narrowing.

"Watch your mouth," I growled, "I don't need your damn imagination right now."

Quil looked unsurprised. He grabbed my hands and pushed them away. "Look man," he whispered, "I know how much Bells means to you. I mean...you _did_ want to...you know-" he looked around our surroundings, making sure we were alone, then brought his head closer, "...to imprint with her."

My anger didn't fade, but just got overpowered by a sudden wave of embarrassment. I felt my cheeks grow warm.

Quil-oblivious to this-kept going. "Me and Embry think of her like a little sister. You know that. Sam's grown awful fond of her, and the whole gang's accepted her. We're just worried."

My body grew less taut, as my eyes became soft. "Ya. I know." I sighed, "I just don't know what happened is all."

Quil patted my shoulder. "I'm not trying to get you mad, but I think you and I both know deep down that somethin's not right. Embry senses it too, but won't say notin. I think somethin's bad happened to her. Maybe she's hurt or...maybe she got _caught_."

I inhaled sharply, my eyes turning into slits. "Don't say that." I snarled, "Don't even think about it."

Quil looked down. "I don't want to, Jake. I really don't...but you KNOW what's gonna happen if it's true."

I stared into his eyes for what felt like forever. I didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to think about it.

Not her.

Anyone but her.

Not MY Bella.

I looked out at the horizon.

"Bella...I'm coming for you."


	14. Ummno

You Make Me Retch

Chapter 14: Um...no.

By: Maggiles

**Author's Note:** Thank you for waiting! I know it must have killed you, so I really appreciate your kind encouragement. Let's just say that the next chapters are going to be new and fresh, and muuuuuuch longer. I want this story to end in about...twenty five chapters, so in order to do that, the chapters will be insanely long. Haha, but I don't think you guys will mind.

**Edward**

Now... I know what everybody must be thinking. Has he utterly lost his mind? Has he been in the sun too long?

Ha.

No my dear public...quite the opposite. But I do agree, I _was_ insane. I mean...how else could I explain it?

The choice was involuntary. I didn't even want to do it. But it was as if something inside of me NEEDED to. As if this _child_ was someone that was of the utmost importance-someone I couldn't see dead.

I _must_ be a lunatic.

My hand was trembling slightly, the ring glinting in the candle light, my mind in a fog. There was a painful silence...as if the guests could not believe their ears and needed some time to register what I had just done. 'Not too long I assume...' I thought, my body still and stiff. And of course, I was right.

As if all at once, there was a huge wave of gasps and shrieks, total disbelief and rage. The women could not hide their shock.

"_WHAT?!"_

"HAS HE LOST HIS MIND?"

"She's a thief!"

"Scum of this nation!"

"Not to mention a dirty little SNAKE!"

"THIS MUST BE SOME MISTAKE!...SHE'S A _PEASENT_!"

Comment after awful comment flew back and forth as the maidens stirred with fury. Even the guards-once broken of their stupor-could not hold back the mob. The women were determined to cause trouble. I winced, the shrieks and screams of their thoughts piercing my mind, causing me immense pain. I had to shake it off, because what _they_ thought was not of importance.

It was her answer.

I lifted my eyes, meeting her big brown ones immediately. They were wide, her mouth open in a complete circle, her body still as if made of cement. I had almost panicked, for it seemed as if her heart had stopped altogether. But really, it was just moving very slowly...usually the same outcome of a stroke. I tried to say something, but found it really difficult. This was not good.

I suppose there was much too much chaos in the room, because once I took a quick glance at my siblings, they were as stiff and rigid as a statue. It was clear to see they were NOT comfortable with the reaction of the guests, dreading the thought of them coming closer-maybe even TOUCHING them. They were not going to be happy with me once this hellish ordeal was over.

But it seemed that one person had already had enough of this madness.

Carlisle narrowed his eyes after giving me an acidic glare and bellowed, "ENOUGH OF THIS INSANITY! _SILENCE_!"

And just like that, the room was quiet. There was not a sound, everybody frozen in place, their eyes anxious.

"THERE WILL BE ORDER IN MY HOUSE, DO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND? MAIDENS-" He then pointed a threating finger at the women, who of which all slithered pitifully back in formation, "I am **disgraced** by your behavior. I believed you all to be women of high class, taught to suppress your emotions. But I see now that the lot of you are no better then a harlot."

Ouchhhh.

The women winced, no doubt embarrassed and offended at the term Carlisle had used. I was taken aback also: Carlisle was always the gentle compassionate one. It was very strange indeed.

He kept his eyes on them a little while longer, before turning to me, his expression not friendly at the least.

"What do you think you are doing?" he whispered, eyes on fire, "Do not make a fool of yourself Edward. Do not give the humans reason to riot."

"I assure you...I have no such intentions."

"You cannot marry that girl."

"Oh?" I challenged, eyebrows raising, "And why can't I? You said yourself I could have anyone I so chose. I choose her."

The fighting went back and forth, our voices raising every sentence. I knew the whole room could hear out conversation, but our stubbornness got the best of us. We had forgotten about our audience and continued. There was one factor we had not counted on.

Her fighting back.

**Bella**

"Will...will you marry me?"

I thought I had died and went to hell.

That is really the only way I can describe the sensation I felt throughout my body. Sickness, doom, fury.

What was he ON?

Was he _joking_?

What did he think I would say? YES?

Hahaha...no.

My mind could not register what he asked me, so I just stood as still as a statue, my eyes wide and glued to his face. I didn't know how to react at that moment, so my body froze. But it wasn't just me. In fact...the whole place seemed to have my same reaction.

Quietness...shock.

It was strange, like I was in some kind of alternate universe, in total reverse to what the day had held just earlier. I would have believed it too, all until the wave of realization went a flame.

Oh no.

I was still here.

"_WHAT?!"_

"HAS HE LOST HIS MIND?"

"She's a thief!"

"Scum of this nation!"

"Not to mention a dirty little SNAKE!"

"THIS MUST BE SOME MISTAKE!...SHE'S A _PEASENT_!"

The insults went on and on, and I felt my anger rising every second. And even though I hated to admit it, hidden beneath the anger was shame. Every second I stayed here I lost myself. I felt like I was worthless, like some type of fungus people were disgusted of.

And it was all HIS fault.

I bit my lip, feeling the pain but ignoring it, using it as a way to release my frustration. There was so much noise around, I felt a headache coming on. But it wasn't as bad as the demon named Edward in front of me. He looked like he was in serious agony, shutting his eyes to zone it out.

Hah! That moron. He deserved the pain.

Just as I thought I was about to crack, somebody beat me to it.

"THERE WILL BE ORDER IN MY HOUSE, DO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND?"

My head jerked to the direction of the voice, and almost squeaked when I saw it came from King Carlisle. It just didn't seem right.

MAIDENS-" I saw him point a threating finger at the women, who like the fakes they were, tried to be poised again, "I am **disgraced** by your behavior. I believed you all to be women of high class, taught to suppress your emotions. But I see now that the lot of you are no better then a harlot."

WHOAAAA.

Ouch.

Geez.

Hah.

That was harsh. All the women cringed, obviously offended at the word the King had used. I couldn't keep myself from smiling. It was great. Calling the richest, most connected people in the country common whores, well, that wasn't something you heard everyday.

Soon, the demon and the King exchanged some words. They were real quiet at first, but then, gradually, got louder and louder. Soon, the whole room could hear them, and everybody remained quiet.

"YOU CANNOT MARRY HER EDWARD. THAT IS MY FINAL WORD."

"Oh is it? Has that ever stopped me before?"

"I mean it Edward. Do not test me."

"Test _you_? I daresay you already failed."

"Edward."

"I _WILL_ marry her. I choose her."

"A FEW MOMENTS AGO YOU DID NOT KNOW HER NAME!"

"ONCE WE ARE MARRIED, THERE WILL BE _**PLENTY **_OF TIME TO GET WELL AQAUINTED. I DARESAY WE WOULD HAVE _FOREVER -_DO YOU NOT AGREE?"

"You will NOT marry her."

"I WILL."

"NO."

"YES."

"N-"

"_**STOP IT!!"**_

The words seemed to echo throughout the ball room, bouncing back and forth and soon dying out into a small whisper. All heads turned to me, the King and the Demon, their eyes wide with surprise. I reached for my throat, wondering if that scream really came from my mouth. I gulped.

"You two stop fighting..." I mumbled, my voice hoarse. I tried to get up, but my legs felt like jelly. My knees were buckling, and I felt like throwing up. I hated intense stares. And I was getting about three thousand of them.

"Excuse me?" The courier-rising up from the shadows-said, his stern voice offended, "What?"

I took in a deep breath. "You heard me!" I yelled, my voice cracking, "STOP FIGHTING!"

There were gasps and whispers, but more then anything shocked stares. I know this was suicide, but considering the fact that I was as good as dead anyways, I thought 'Hey...what the hell?'

"I can speak for myself!" I shouted, looking at all the people, "I'm seventeen years old _DAMMIT!_ I mean...ya...I'm old!"

Silence.

My eyes dilated, cold sweat forming. Oh god...this was not going as well as I had hoped.

"I mean...I'm a big girl, do you know that?" I pointed at random people- "Do you? Come on...I can...you know...I CAN MAKE BABIES AND STUFF, SO I THINK IF I'M CAPABLE OF GIVING _LIFE_, THEN I AM MORE THEN CAPABLE OF MAKING MY OWN DESICIONS!"

Again, utter silence.

A few grunted laughs and snickers arose, and I felt my blood drain. I cannot believe I just said that. How stupid did that _sound_? Oh god.

My eyes went to the demon, and my jaw dropped. He was..._laughing_.

Not out loud, of course. He had his face covered with his hand, his head turned away. He was trying to hide it. When he saw my eyes, he tried to frown right away. I growled.

Soon, I felt the blood rushing to my head, my sheer anger making me see red. I forgot all about everyone in the room, and just focused on the object of my hatred.

"Let me put this simply" I barked, hands balling into fists, "...I REFUSE TO MARRY YOU, DEMON PRINCE!"

All the snickers and laughter died, and thick silence once again filled the room. Prince Edward's smirk turned into a frown, his face looking slightly aggravated. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off.

The doors burst open, and in came Charlie with a bunch of men.

**Edward**

"Let me put this simply...I REFUSE TO MARRY YOU, DEMON PRINCE!"

Wow.

Those words had silenced me, along with the rest of the guests. As much as I should have been furious with her disrespect, she had had the whole room quietly dying with laughter but a few moments ago. She had screamed about her body's ability to reproduce, using that as leverage to clarify her decision making abilities.

This girl was COMPLETLEY hopeless.

Other people would probably have sympathized with her fragile mind, but not I. At the moment, I was not in a blissful mood being called a _demon prince_.

Demons were an _entirely_ different species.

But just as I was about to speak, the doors yet again burst open, and in came...who else? The human's father, Chief Charlie Swan.

Interesting...

"BELLA!" Charlie yelled, his eyes finally fixed on his daughter, "BELLA! Oh Kiddo, I was worried _sick_."

He ran to the center of the floor, but then stopped cold. He looked around, saw the thousands of people in the room and became frozen.

"Oh no." he whispered, small beads of sweat forming on his forehead. I watched as he took notice of Carlisle and I, following behind us to the rest of my family. His eyes widened, as he yelped an- 'OH!' and fell to the floor, bowing.

"Your...your majesties...I-I..." he fumbled with his words, not knowing quite how to explain himself.

It was almost comical. Now I knew where the human girl got it from.

"Stand Swan." Carlisle said, his voice gentle, "You are excused. It seems that this affair was not as private as I had wished it to be."

He gave a side long glance at the girl. I tensed.

"Chief Carlisle..."

"YES...Yes your Majesty?"

I clenched my jaw as Carlisle walked around, heading towards the girl. My instincts were to follow, so I did. Watching him, observing any changes in his face.

"Chief Swan...is this child your daughter?"

He pointed at Isabella, her eyes hard. Chief Swan gulped, his heart beating ridiculously fast. "Yes...yes sir. She is my only child."

Carlisle's eyes narrowed. "Is she?"

"..Y-yes your majesty. My pride and joy."

This seemed to get Carlisle's attention. The whole room was silent as they watched the scene in front of them. Tanya did not look very happy. She eyed the girl ominously, and one look into her mind got me apprehensive. She, apparently, did not see the need for the girl to live.

"Really?" Carlisle mused, enjoying himself, " Did you know that your daughter-your pride and joy- is up for _death_?"

The girl had sucked in a breath, her expression queasy. I glared at Carlisle. What was he doing?

Chief Swan was no doubt sweating through his clothes. His body trembled ever so slightly. "Yes your Grace." he mumbled, " I am aware."

Carlisle didn't take his eyes off of the girl, his expression unreadable. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but got a feeling I would soon find out.

I watched as he walked around the girl, seeming to observe her matter. From the corner of my eye I could see Esme looking taut, debating whether or not to stay where she was or follow Carisle. My siblings were all taut as well, as Alice quietly screamed, _"Edward...I understand now. THAT is the human you were talking about earlier-in your room, isn't it? WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING? What an __exciting story these humans will have to tell back home!_"

I winced, hating to know that her words were true. Her eyes were burning with accusation, but had a little bit of something else in them also. Curiosity? Well, that wasn't much of surprise coming from Alice, who, to be truthful, found curiosity in nearly everything. But I thought back to her reasoning. What _would_ the mortals think of all this? Quite the royal scandal, I would say. Our privacy would not be as easy to keep from now on.

"I have an offer, Chief Swan." Carlisle abruptly said, his voice seemingly louder in the quiet room, "I'm sure you will not object to it."

My eyes narrowed. It seemed like that last part was directed at me.

"Yes your Majesty?" he answered, heart pounding.

"I will spare your daughter's life. She will be excused from death-BUT only on one condition."

A gasp reached my ears, and my head trailed it to the girl. This Isabella. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Carisle, probably wondering if she heard right. I couldn't lie. I was JUST as surprised as she seemed to be. Something was going on, and it probably would not be in my favor. Chief Swan seemed shocked, and the only thing on his mind was confusion...and a tiny bit of joy as well. He got up, waiting to hear more.

"Yes your Grace...I'm listening."

Carisle smiled. "Chief Swan...your daughter, Isabella, will be free to live _but_-"

In that one second, everybody's ear seemed to perk upright, heart pounding for his unfinished answer.

"...only in banishment."

**Bella**

_Banishment?_

My head seemed to swirl around in a hurricane inside my body, and then I started to feel extremely sick. Banishment was worse then death. I would be all by myself, in some stranger country, speaking some stranger language. My heart broke.

What about Renee? My MOM? What would _she_ do? She needed me to do chores, to get money, to keep her company. I could not leave her alone.

And then there was something seemingly worse.

What about JACOB?

I could not imagine living without him

Who would make me laugh?

Who would I compete with in everything, and win?

Who could make my heart flutter and stomach drop just by a flash of a smile? How could I do it? Oh, that was easy.

I _couldn't_.

**Edward**

_Banishment_?

Had he utterly lost his _mind_? For this human, banishment WAS death! There was no way she could survive in a different environment, having been raised here all her life! It was disguised suicide, and I _knew_ he knew it as well.

"Well, Chief Swan?" Carisle asked gently, "Your answer?"

Everyone in the room was still, heart's pounding in anticipation. The girl looked distressed, eyes on her father, scared silly.

In a feeble attempt, I tried once again to search her mind.

Dammit...nothing.

All eyes were on her father, but there was no need. It was obvious what his answer would be. How was he expected to turn down this offer? The word _banishment_ WAS a bit more appealing then death.

Of course you could let your silly little imagination run wild, picture her somehow surviving and living a good life. But that was not reality.

"Well, Swan? What do you say?"

Chief Swan blinked, his once hopeful smile gone instantly. He locked eyes with his daughter, his face in pain. After a few seconds, he looked away to the floor, and nodded. "I...I-I accept your offer, Your Grace." -He gave a bow- "Thank you for your mercy."

The room blew up in whispers and gossip as Carisle snapped his fingers as a sign to ship her far away. I became anxious, watching as the guards pulled her up, dragging her towards the door. Charlie ran to her, trying to get in some last words.

But she would not have it.

She had kicked and screamed, and right when she was about to yell out, someone beat her to it.

It was me.

**Bella**

"I...I-I accept your offer, Your Grace...Thank you for your mercy."

Charlie didn't look at me once he finished his so called thanks. In fact, he turned _away_ from me, probably ashamed and mournful at himself-at _me_. That was a slap to the face. I had thought and hoped with all my heart that Charlie had come to his senses. That he had come to save me, to fight with the king, to bargain for my life. I thought he would protect me, be the father I always dreamed of. But I guess I was wrong.

Don't misunderstand-...It didn't surprise me. I was _always_ wrong about a lot of things. But just this once, this _one_ time...

I wish I could've been _right_.

My own father signed my death papers.

But just as it was all agreed to, the moron guards behind me grabbed my shoulders once again, trying to pull- _drag_- me out of the room. I saw Charlie get all purple faced as he ran over to me, trying to apologize. He was even crying...sort of.

Convincing...but it wasn't selling.

"Oh Bella..." he croaked, eyes glassy, "Oh kiddo, I'm so sorry about everything, I-"

He kept going _on_ and _on_, but I just wasn't getting any of it. All I thought about was my life, and how I was not about to lose everything I've lived for now. If there was nothing else I could do, I could still resort to my former self.

Thief rule 101: Never give up without a fight.

I started to kick my legs and arms violently, trying as hard as I could to wiggle out of their grasp. When I could clearly see there was no possible chance of getting away physically, I resorted to smack talk. A thousand unpleasant words in my head were burning to get out, and just as I was about to open my mouth to let them pour, somebody beat me to it.

Big surprise here.

It was _him_.

**Edward**

"RELEASE HER THIS _INSTANT_!"

My palms were getting colder then usual, my anger unleashed as I saw the brutality of the men before me. But I must admit that for a split second, I was astonished that I had raised my voice so savagely. I took it as a sign that this ordeal would have to end.

Soon.

My eyes roamed over to Carlisle, who surprisingly, did not interfere with my sudden outburst. Instead, his eyes looked curious, as if he was waiting to see something. I inhaled and brought my attention back at the guards.

"Release her!" I shouted once again, walking assertively to their spot, "Unhand her and do not let me tell you this again."

At once their hands escaped from her body, backing up to give us some space. No doubt they were getting a little sick of this 'Get her', 'Let her go' business. But that wasn't any concern of mine. Her eyes were burning into me, her anger very well present. In fact, it was suffocating. I was about to speak until I remembered her father. I turned to him.

"Chief Swan...-"

"Ye-yes...G'day your Majesty."

I inhaled. This was going to be tough. "Chief Swan...I'm afraid my father had forgotten to tell you a very important detail."

I had hoped for some sort of stunned reaction, and I smiled when I saw his eyes perk. "Your Majesty?" he whispered, wanting to hear more.

I looked him in the eyes. "A few moments earlier, I had..."-I gave a quick glance at the girl, who's eyes were piercing daggers- "I had found my bride."

The Chief looked a little stricken, probably worried he would get some sort of punishment for ruining what was surely was the pinnacle of history. I gave him a tried smile to assure him there was no harm.

"Con...congratulations your Highness!" he stuttered, giving a little bow, " I wish-WE wish you nothing but happiness."

Here we go. The hard part.

"Thank you..." I gave a quick look at Carlisle, who's eyes were still waiting for what I did not know. Everyone in the room was silent, watching. Tanya's teeth were starting to show. No doubt she was ready to rip something apart. I had torn at her patience the entire evening.

Eventually, my eyes came back to Swan.

"I am over joyed that you wish us happiness. For, to tell you the truth..." -I closed my eyes- "I have chosen your daughter, Isabella Swan, to be with me for _eternity_. So I ask you, Chief Swan...may I have her hand?"

What a sweet moment it could have been. A moment of shock and admiration. A moment of nobility and fairy tales. It should have been a solemn moment.

All until the girl opened her mouth.

"HAVE YOU BEEN DROPPED ON YOUR _HEAD_? I'D RATHER GET BURIED _ALIVE_ THEN BE MARRIED TO A SHOVENISTIC, CRUEL, DEMON POSSESED PIG LIKE _YOU_!"

**Bella**

I swore he was crazy.

How dare he try and play games with me?! It was like he was _mocking_ me... asking for my hand in marriage, and then seeking my father's _approval_?

HAH!

I was no fool. And there was absolutely no way I would EVER agree to this. I'd rather be banished forever. Rather **die** in the middle of an alien country then wake up to the morning next to that _thing_. He was not getting the best of me.

Not anymore.

**Edward**

Her words seemed to echo through the hall. Audible gasps popped up from the crowd, as all heads turned to her. If I had a vein, it would have been pumping right now.

My eyes narrowed as they turned to her.

"What?" I asked, very miffed, "What did you say?"

Her nostrils flared. "YOU HEARD ME!" she yelled, "I WILL _NOT_ MARRY YOU! _I REFUSE_!"

"Bells!" Swan gasped, horrified.

Even though the room remained physically quiet, what happened in my head was a completely different story. Thousands of thoughts, shrieks, accusations, and whines flew through my head, causing me to wince in pain. I looked around, longing to shout at them to be silent, but would have been deemed crazy. I looked at Carisle, who was smiling ear to ear.

"Well, Edward," he said, his voice even and calm, "It looks like your _bride_ does not harbor the same feelings you have for her. She has rejected you...something that I'm sure the whole nation has heard."

I exhaled, eying Carisle with as much control as I could. He was trying to turn this around. I would not let him.

"Give me a moment to speak to the girl." I muttered, not taking my eyes off of her, "Just a few minutes."

Without waiting for a reply, I grabbed her arm with as much force needed to over power her. I exhaled, making sure my breath was held. There was no room for slip ups here. "Hey! Let me go!" she yelled, struggling to push me away. I held on tighter.

"_LOOK_." I hissed, turning her around to face me when we had finally gotten to a private area, " Before you go on a rampage with your frivolous vocabulary, why don't you think this through?"

I watched as her face twisted in anger, her brown eyes filled with choler. "Think _WHAT _through?" she spat back, trying to pull away, "Did you not try to kill me a _few moments earlier_?!"

At once I covered her mouth, head turning slightly to the side. Oh no. There was no doubt in my mind that others had heard her statement. Not the humans of course. But the rest of us. I would have to make her quiet.

"Try and control your voice," I whispered, eyes glaring, "Others might hear."

"No one can hear us. Now let me GO!"

"Even the walls have ears." I warned while pulling her closer. "Now, if you have ANY shred of intelligence in your body, you will accept my proposal."

"NO WAY IN-"

"_THINK _about your options very carefully, girl."

"What are you _talking_ about, _boy_?"

I sighed, my eyes weary. This was not going to be easy. I pulled her closer. "Do you think I _want_ to be married to a little _convict_ like _you_?" I hissed, trying to get my point across, "Please, do not flatter yourself. You are nothing to me."

My plan seemed to work. She started blushing, embarrassed at my blunt remark. "If I mean nothing," she growled, "Then why would you want to _marry_ me?"

"Because I feel like keeping you alive."

She looked dumbfounded by my answer. She frowned. "Is that so? Well, _I_ don't feel like talking to you any longer. I'm miserable, embarrassed, ashamed, tired...and it's all YOUR fault. I hate you more then anything in the world at the moment. Now let me g-"

"_LISTEN TO ME."_

At once she became quiet, surprised at the venom in my voice. I had to hurry. There were too many people who had heard already.

I looked at her. "I am not saying that I have clean intentions. You are not honey to the bee for me either, but the fact of the matter is, we can _both_ benefit from this."

Her eyes narrowed. "Keep talking." she mumbled.

"Now, for you, you will be able to _live_." I paused to give the word more meaning. "And I know that you have some family outside of this palace. You can stay and live the life of a _queen_. You will never have to steal again. You can see your _father_...get better acquainted..."- I trailed, wanting to see her reaction. Her face had softened, and I knew that I was winning her over. I continued, trying to speed this up. "And it will not last forever. You just need to stay for three months. That is all. Then you can get a royal appeal and be gone from me forever. That's all you need to do. Accept the ring and give up three months from your home."

Her arm became lifeless, her eyes clouded with thought. "Three months..." she whispered, more to herself then anything.

"Yes." I whispered, filled with eagerness, "Three months...and then you will be free to leave."

She was silent for a few moments, and I knew the thousands of pairs of eyes that were on us, watching. I tried not to let it bother me. I was practically jumping for joy all until her sharp eyes latched on to mine once again. "Why are you _doing_ this?" she asked, her voice incredulous, "Tell me...what's in it for you? What can you gain from _me_?"

I could tell she was trying to figure me out, to come up with some kind of answer on her own. I smiled, knowing all too well that her question would have soon risen anyhow. It was inevitable.

"That, my dear, cannot be answered right away."

Her eyebrow rosed. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean," I said, eyes burning into hers, "Is that your benefit will soon come to show. What you will gain for me, my dear, is knowledge."

**Bella**

"What I mean is that your benefit will soon come to show. What you will gain for me, my dear, is knowledge."

My eyebrows rose in question when he gave me his answer. What was he talking about? _Knowledge_? What could he possibly need to know? And how could _I_ be of assistance in gaining that? I would have loved to think about it more, to really try and dig deep into his reply. I tried looking in his eyes.

Bad choice. They took my heart away. His eyes were full of sincerity, lacking in any deceptiveness. Or maybe it was just his extreme good looks messing with my mind.

"You will have to be quick about your decision." he said in my ear, waking me up from fantasy land, "In case you have forgotten, we have quite the impatient audience."

I gulped, my eyes widening as I stuck my neck out to the side, taking in the thousands of staring eyes. Oh god, I was getting dizzy.

"Right..." I mumbled, trying to focus.

"Your answer?" he asked, yearning.

I swallowed, taking five seconds to think.

I _hated_ this guy. He ruined my life in one day. He took away everything from me. In fact, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even _need_ to be making this decision right now. I would've been home. With my mother. With Jacob.

But on the other hand...this could be the opportunity of a _lifetime_. The life of a _queen_ for God sakes! He was right: I would never have to steal again. My mind thought back to the jewel encrusted gate I had come across before. Just ONE gem would be early retirement for my mother and I.

Just _one_.

I could erase the records of my past...of Jacob's past...heck, the whole GANGS past. All I needed to do was survive here for three months. Just three months for an eternity of happiness.

Taking in a deep breath, I nodded.

"I accept."

And I know it sounded crazy...but right before I replied, I felt a tremendous wave of comfort. As if all my stress was wiped away, gone for eternity.

Crazy...right?


	15. Jealousy

You Make Me Retch

By: Maggiles

Chapter 15: Royal Announcement

_'Why do I dance?...why do I breathe?'_

-Anonymous

**Bella**

"Is that all you require for your evening, your highness?" a small woman asked, bowing neatly before me, "I will send a few maidens to get your bath ready later tonight."

The maid then straightened her posture, eying me a little below where my nose started. To some, not making eye contact while talking would be considered rude, but in this country, you _never_ looked nobility in the eyes. _Ever_.

But...I never thought that rule would ever apply to me. I was far from royalty...way far from it.

"Er...thank you." I mumbled lamely, not knowing what to say, "That would be great."

The women smiled. "Rose or Chamomile?"

"Excuse me?"

"I asked if your Majesty would like rose petals in her bathwater or Chamomile."

I was silent for a few moments, just amazed at how extravagantly nobility lived. At home, I was lucky if the bath water was even warm. "Er...chamomile-no! Rose. I prefer rose."

"Then rose it shall be."

The women gave a dramatic bow all the way to the door, leaving me in a complete daze of reality. I fell on the ridiculously large bed, over flowing with peacock feather pillows and cushions, blood red silk sheets, and gold encrusted framing. The room was bigger then my whole house had been, and much more pleasing to the eye. The walls were a light peach color with trimmed, hand made decorations going around all the walls. The furniture looked deathly expensive, with rich red cushions and solid gold trimmed lace. The frame was made of rich polished maple wood. There were hand painted pictures, _beautiful_ pictures, that hung throughout the room. Below me, rich, _soft_ carpet-the softest I've ever felt- grazed my feet, as further down the room, shiny marble floors reflected back at me. It was the most beautiful room I'd ever seen-the most beautiful next to the ballroom.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" I asked, surprised to hear my voice crack. I must have been really nervous _still_. But could you blame me? What I was doing was the craziest and dangerous thing imaginable.

"It's your ladies in waiting, Your Majesty," a high feminine voice answered, "We're here to get you ready for your evening bath."

"Alr-...already?"

Hadn't I _just_ dismissed the other women a few minutes ago?

"Yes, your Majesty." the voice replied, but then added quickly, "Un-unless your Majesty would prefer her bath later...we will come again-"

"NO!...er no. It's no problem really. You guys are just so fast." I jumped up from the bed and hurriedly walked to the door. Unlocking it, I stepped aside to let them enter, and just like the last maid had done, they all had their heads bowed as they entered the room.

Really...sometimes it was as if they were afraid of seeing something they didn't want to.

**Edward**

All was quiet in Carlisle's office, the office that wasn't hidden underground that is. I sat uncomfortably in a chair, anticipating the talk we were going to have.

I did not want to engage in a conversation with him at the moment, but I knew it was coming sooner or later. Better to have it done and dealt with now, then wait for it the next couple of days.

Carlisle sat in his regale chair, which was behind a brilliant dark brown desk. He didn't look at me.

I tapped my finger along the frame, feeling the seconds tick by, seconds that were starting to feel like days. I cleared my throat.

"Carlisle...let's not play games. To get straight to the point, I know you want to ask me some questions. Well, ask away."

I exhaled slowly, watching as Carlisle looked up at me from his papers, his face stiff. "Alright, Edward," he answered, his voice distant, "I agree completely. No more games."

He continued to look down, finishing whatever he was working on, and then finally sat back, his chin resting in his hand. "I don't think you need to read my mind to figure out what I'm thinking Edward," his eyes were piercing into mine, "You're already much too clever. So in order to speed this up, just give me your explanation."

His face was calm, his eyes tight.

I started to feel uneasy. In my mind, I remembered I had to be extremely careful when talking to Carlisle. Whatever came out of my mouth, I had to make sure it could not be used against me later. Smoothing my hair back, I gave a statement I had rehearsed long ago. "I felt she was the one for me." I declared, my voice smooth, "Out of everyone, she drew me in."

I blinked, noticing Carlisle was quiet, his expression unreadable. "Is that so?" he asked, "It seemed to me that you were already acquainted with that girl...you put on _quite_ the show. She was a criminal Edward. **Bashing** into the ceremony like some kind of Neanderthal...your expression was priceless. The fact that you chose a girl who was on death row, speaking out to save her life...it definitely raises eyebrows. If I didn't know any better, I would say you were emotionally attached."

"_Attached_?" I made a face of disbelief, " Have you lost your mind? I am _certainly_ not attached to that woman-she's a human!"

"...yes. That's what I thought. She IS a mortal, and I know you have a low tolerance for them. _But_..." his eyes became thoughtful, as if he was trying to read me, "you acted very peculiar. It was as if you could not control your emotions-as if she somehow _changed_ you...made you resort to your true nature."

My breath quickened. "And what would that be?" I asked coldly.

"Protecting what's yours."

My eyes narrowed, my grip on the hands of the chair tightening. Where was he getting at?

"Let me get down to the point." I said, my eyes narrowing, "Why did you allow her to be saved? After trying to kill her, what made you change your mind?"

My grip tightened even more, anticipating his answer. What would he say? Thankfully, he didn't make me wait.

"Because I knew that that girl was something." he said, his voice becoming restless, "You proved that when _you_ saved her."

"I-"

"Don't give me any of your carefully though out excuses Edward." Carlisle snapped, cutting me off, "I have been around much longer then you have. You know better then to underestimate me. Choosing a criminal instead of nobility-instead of _Tanya..._I am no fool."

My tongue seemed to be glued in my mouth, for I could not open it to defend myself. Carlisle WAS no fool-I knew that. It was foolish of me to assume I could get out of this so easily.

"To answer _your_ question, Edward, I will simply give you this. I allowed that girl to live only for one reason: I want to see for myself what ties you hold to her, and her to you. I want to know WHY you and her agreed to this engagement, and why you did not oppose it when you had _so_ much earlier that evening. I want to know what your planning, and why she's involved. And to answer that, it must play out. And I am more then willing to allow it to happen."

He stopped, his eyes burning with accusation, their attention focused wholly on me. At that point, I didn't know what to say. I was relieved he did not know my intentions straight away, but anxious at his curiosity. He was going to play us like pieces on chess, and I had to make sure I made all the right moves.

"No need to worry about the nation, Edward." he added, his eyes calm, "I will take care of this so called scandal. There will be no objections in the state-I assure you. Just take good care of your wife...your Isabella."

My nostrils flared, my hands balling into fists. Alright then. "If that is all, then I shall take my leave."

Standing up, I made my way to the door.

"Oh, and another thing before you go!"

I pretended not to hear, still making my way towards the exit. I was done listening to Carlisle and his games. In fact, I wouldn't have even paused until he said the unthinkable.

"Tanya will be remaining with us here, in the castle. She will be living here from now on until she chooses to leave."

At that I had halted, **frozen** in place. I cringed in rage and disbelief. "_WHAT_?" I hissed, turning around and making my way towards his desk, "Now I am sure you have lost your mind. What POSSIBLE reason do you have for her remaining here? She was not chosen: She will never be chosen."

I waited, anger filling inside of me as Carlisle sat back, unfazed. "She is still in love with you." was his blunt reply, "but that is not her purpose for staying. She has some business with me to take care of...something you will soon be a part of, but seeing as how it is still in it's layout stages, I see no need to inform you-just yet. But get used to seeing her around Edward...and be sure to watch your Isabella carefully: Tanya does not have any soft feelings for that girl. Jealousy you see...it can bring out the darkness inside of anybody. Make sure she is never alone."

I could not put into words the fury I felt: the sheer _anger_ I had running though my veins...it was the most emotion I had ever had.

I loved Carlisle: he was my father.

He and I could not operate without each other. He saved me and picked me up whenever I fell. But since yesterday...I could not understand what he was doing.

Without any warning, I turned around and disappeared out of the room. My instinct was to go to the gardens, but then I had abruptly changed my mind. I turned and headed for _her_ room.

**Bella**

Mmmmm...bubbles.

I buried myself underneath the water, my nose inches above the surface. I couldn't tell anyone how wonderful it felt. The water was a perfect temperature, the rose petals floating angelically on the surface, and the oils inside the bath, making the water smell like perfume while conditioning my skin. It was the best part of this day. Sighing, I stretched my legs out, the heat of the water relaxing my sore muscles.

I had dismissed the ladies in waiting, feeling awkward at the idea of a crowd watching me bathe. My own mother had yet to see me naked since the age of eight. The bath was gorgeous-yet big. It was almost like a pool...a giant pool just for me. Next to me were lamps and decorated jars _filled_ with expensive oils, cremes, and charms. Candle light was everywhere, making the room smell heavily of incense. But even with all that glamor, I could not forget what had brought me here.

What was I going to do? My heart had never slowed it's pace, and my thoughts were still bouncing around everywhere. I thought about Charlie, and how shocked he had looked when I accepted. Of course after I did, he was ordered to leave, leaving us with no time to exchange words.

Hmph. Not like I would've have anyway. He was a traitor.

Traitor...why did it hurt so much to say that?

My ming wandered to Jacob, guessing at what he was doing, what he was thinking. Oh god...he must be so worried about me. I remembered the last time I had gotten lost during a raid. I slept under a tree for days, scared out of my mind. Jacob found me, holding me through my relieved tears. My heart sank. I missed him so much. How was I going to tell him? What would he think? We hated this nation...and now I had become a giant part of it. Would he even care? I was nothing to him.

There were a million other things racing in my mind, but it all got put on hold when I heard a knock on the door.

Oh god...not another maid. I told them as clear as I could that I did not want them to see me the rest of the night. I sat up, clearing my throat.

"Thank you anyways, but I've already said that I don't need your assistance any longer. Please-go rest."

I watched the door, and when I thought they had left, I eased back into the tub. I would've fallen asleep until I heard a soft laugh. Freaked out, I jerked my eyes open, swishing around to see who was there. I almost yelped.

"Sorry to scare you, but I am no maid."

I gulped, eyes open wide as I took in one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. Her hair was a strawberry blond, her eyes a deep amber. Her skin was pale, her hair long and wavy, reaching to her waist. My heart quickened.

"Wh-who are you?" I squeaked, alarmed. If she wasn't so beautiful, my first instinct would be to attack, but instead, I found myself trying to get farther from her.

She smiled. "Oh, how rude of me. I'm sorry to have disturbed your bath, but I had to come in and talk to you privately."

She walked over, slowly, heading for a small stool where she plopped herself down. Her eyes glued to mine. "My name is Tanya. I come from the Northern Kingdom...I was one of the hopefuls for Edwards hand in marriage."

She laughed to herself, probably thinking how funny that sounded. I almost laughed to-even about to tell her that she could have him until I bit my lip back. Was I crazy? I had to be careful.

"Oh...um...I'm sorry about that." I said, my voice low, for I didn't know what to say. But questions were starting to pop inside of my mind. How did she get in? Why did she have to talk to me right now? What did she want to talk _about_? This was turning really odd.

"Um...I don't want to be rude..but-er...could you come again later? This is really awkward for me-...I'm not used to people being around when I bathe."

I really expected her to leave. To smile and apologize, while making her way out of the door. That was what I thought. But just like everything else today, my thoughts were completely wrong. Her smile didn't move-it just changed. It looked arrogant now...sort of heinous.

"Leave?" she breathed, mock surprise in her voice, "Why...after all the trouble I went through to get here? I think not."

She crooked her neck to the side, her legs crossed. My eyebrows narrowed. What the heck...?

"Look." I said, more assertively, "I'm asking you politely. Please leave. I don't want you here."

She sounded bored. "I don't care."

"Get out."

"No."

"I'm warning you-"

"WARNING me?"

She laughed, her tone incredulous. I inhaled, getting nervous. I knew something was not right.

"You're _warning_ me?" she laughed again, her eyes glued to mine, "Look, I don't think you understand what you've gotten yourself into. I _know_ something is wrong between you and Edward. You don't love him-and he _certainly_ can't stand you...so here I am, trying to figure this out."

I sat back, trying to cover myself up while still looking menacing, but as you can imagine, you can only look so menacing when your butt naked in a bath full of bubbles.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I snapped, eyes narrowing, "Why would we agree to the engagement if we had no feelings?"

"Because you're getting something out of it."

Her eyes were wild, burning with hate. I was almost taken aback. Where did all of this COME from?

I opened my mouth to say something, but she cut me off.

"Edward and I have a long history together. He knows of my feelings for him, and let's be honest: Why would he choose someone as unsightly as YOU, when he could have someone as glorious as ME?"

Her nose crinkled, as if I smelled like garbage. I looked around me: I was covered in scented oil. She was undoubtley degrading me. I had had enough.

"LOOK." I said, my teeth clenching in irritation, "I don't know WHO you think you are, but I don't let anybody talk that way to me. Get out of here now, or I will make it my personal mission to kick your pampered little ass."

I smiled as her eyes widened, her smirk turning into a shocked scowl. Her face became sour as she stood up, her eyes staring into mine. "You think you _scare_ me?" she whispered, her voice sounding threatening, "You think you can scare _me_?" she walked over, her frown still glued on her face. I tensed, getting myself ready for whatever would follow. She stopped at the foot of the bath, bending her knees to come to my level. "You don't know what fear is." she whispered, her eyes black-weren't they just amber?- staring into mine, "But you will. This place isn't what you think it is. Underneath the gold and decor hides a darkness that you could never imagine. Something you couldn't even DREAM about-and you're right in the middle of it all. So let me make this clear so I can leave this wretched place: Edward is _mine_. I don't care about your weak excuses or sad declarations of what you say is love. Edward can't love-he doesn't know how. Everyone knows this. So when you're walking down these halls, watch your back. I didn't see a need for you to live...you stared death in the eyes until Edward saved you. I will be watching you, and when your back is turned-" she reached out like lightning and grabbed a jar of oil next to me, _crushing_ it into a million pieces. The oil seeped onto her hands, but amazingly-there was no scratch on her. My pulse tripled as my breathing quickened in panic. What WAS she?

And then I had a flashback to when Edward had disappeared out of thin air, once he had tied me to the tree. I tried to swallow, but my throat became dry.

Something was _definitely_ not right. And I WAS in the middle of it all.

"_What I mean is that your benefit will soon come to show. What you will gain for me, my dear, is knowledge."_

My nostrils flared. It seemed to me that he wouldn't be the only one learning something.

I turned my attention back to Tanya, who's face had turned into a monstrous grin, "-You might get hurt." she finished. A few seconds passed, her eyes thoughtful as they stared into mine, my stare cold. Eventually, however, she got back up and walked slowly to the doorway. Turning around, she flashed me a brilliant smile. "Oh, Isabella dear, it was so wonderful having this talk with you."

She turned around once again, disappearing into nothing. My body trembled...what had I gotten myself into?

Of course at this point, I had no more desire to soak in a tub. In fact, who knows what other freaks would come in and try to attack me? After taking a few breathers, I got up and walked over to get a towel, but instead, came across a robe. It was beautiful. Light blue silk with gold engravings. I put it on quickly, relishing the feel of the rare fabric against my skin. I ran the brush through my hair, surprised to find how soft and untangled it was. No doubt the softness had come from the oils the maids had put in my hair a few moments earlier. It even smelled like a rose garden.

I headed towards the doorway, but very slowly. In my mind, I felt that I was still not alone. I was probably paranoid, having visions of Tanya sitting on my bed, a sword in her hand. My breathing was uneven as I carefully walked out of the bath, my eyes searching every possible nook and cranny that a person could fit into. All the years of stealing and keeping lookout had trained my eyes to scan a room perfectly. In a matter of minutes, I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank the heavens." I muttered, allowing my body to untense, "What am I supposed to do now?"

Walking over to my bed, I threw myself on, letting out screams of frustration and anger. There was no doubt in my mind that something in the castle was wrong.

In fact, everybody in the nation probably had that thought, way in the back of their heads. It's not like the royal family was considered _normal_.

But what could it be?

What were they hiding?

What was I a part of?

I closed my eyes, letting thought after thought drift in my head.

**Edward**

Everything seemed more quiet then usual in the hallway leading to the girl's room. Not that it was very loud normally, but there was a notable difference in the atmosphere.

But I didn't dwell too much on that: I had more important things to take care of.

Not slowing down my pace, my eyes focused on the large brown door in the distance. It was time me and my 'wife' had a little talk. It was of the utmost value that we had some kind of negotiation...some rules of conduct... what to do and what not to do. She was a convict, _scum_ of the nation.

After the talk with Carlisle, I had wanted to punch myself in the forehead.

What was I THINKING?

How were we going to pull of this counterfeit engagement when both parties had tried to kill each other only hours before the proposal? How would we show affection? My siblings would know something was wrong: Carlisle had already. How much longer would it be until we were exposed? Then what?

Millions and millions of those thoughts formed in my head until my eyes caught a glimpse of a figure walking out the doors of the girl's room. That was funny...it did not look like any maid. All it took was a few more steps until my nose had caught the scent of over riped peaches and mint. I stopped dead in my tracks.

_Tanya?_

What was she _doing_ there? And if my guess was correct, she had been there alone with the girl. My body tensed on instinct, a snarl forming on my lips.

Something told me she hadn't been there to congratulate the bride.

I saw her stop walking also, her eyes set on mine. She seemed to be happy, her face not showing any sign of struggle...but I couldn't be sure. I took a few moments to calm myself, letting my face relax into a placid state, my shoulders easing down into a look of aloofness.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice distant, "why were you in her room?"

Her eyes never left mine as she came closer towards me. "Edward," she breathed, "We're _finally_ alone."

In a few more steps she closed the gap between us, her hands resting on my chest. "By the look of your face you've already heard about my living arrangements. Pity...I thought you'd be a _bit_ more happier."

My expression didn't change. "Enough of your mordacious remarks, Tanya." I snapped, forcing her to face me, "Answer my question. I'm _sick_ of playing games."

I sat back as she smiled, her hand reaching out to touch my face, "I thought you loved my wit, Edward..." she whispered, "Did that girl change that part about you too?"

It was a foolish question. I shouldn't have thought anything of it, but I felt myself growing provoked. She was trying to get to me, but I would not allow it to happen. My gaze unfazed, I took in a breath. "Don't be ridiculous." I muttered, my eyes frosty, "And do not avert the subject. Answer my question: What were you doing?"

"Just giving her my respects," she said, bringing her face closer to mine, "I wanted to see for myself what it was about her that you admired so much. I mean, there had to be something: you acted like you couldn't live without her. I was jealous."

"Jealous? My...you're starting to sound like a human."

She laughed, her voice a high shrill. "We were all humans." she finished, her smile exclusive, " You were too, whether you choose to believe it or not."

Grabbing her hands, I pulled them away from me. "That may be," I whispered, "But once you go through the _process _you eliminate such absurd emotions."

"No. You _choose_ to eliminate them."

Her eyes were on fire, and I was surprised to find I was a little aroused by the sudden life in her gaze. "Things like love and jealousy..." she said, her voice restless, "never get eliminated. You just choose to ignore them. Why, I wonder? What are you so scared of? If you open up a tiny bit, Edward, your eyes will open too. And then you can see what's right in front of you..."

What happened in the next moment I could not predict or stop. Her mouth had suddenly pressed against mine, her hands holding my face in place. My eyes widened in sheer astonishment at her boldness, as her tongue licked my lips as she broke off.

I could feel her breath against my face.

I could smell her scent more then ever.

I could see into her eyes, see all the emotion in them.

I stood still.

She smiled. "And now as I take my leave to resign for the night, I shall leave you with a very mortal expression." She touched my cheek for a moment more, before walking slowly away from me, down the hall. I turned my head around, watching.

"That girl...that _Isabella..._she may have won the battle, but she will _never_ win the war. Edward, you will be mine."

**Authors Note: **Please don't kill me for the wait. Or the length. I originally wanted this much longer and out much sooner, but man have I been _busy_. All I know is that at this point, I just wanted to get a new chapter out to all my readers, so I apologize. Can't make any promises on updates, but I will try whether it kills me to go faster.


	16. Warning!

You Make Me Retch

Chapter 16: Warning!

By:Maggiles

**Authors Note:** Don't kill me.

**Bella**

I could barley keep from shaking as I flew into my clothes, not taking my time in the least, my eyes going everywhere around the room every second.

For after Tanya had left, God had graced me with a much needed-and quite obvious- ephinay:

I was very much hated.

And I would _never_ be alone for more then a few minutes.

Yes, things like privacy and personal welfare meant nothing once inside the palace. That much I was sure of.

Another thing I was sure of was the fact that Tanya was not normal.

She _couldn't_ be.

The way she broke that oil bottle, the way she looked, breathed, the way she _moved_ and carried herself.

It wasn't like anything I had seen before.

And that being said, I could easily accuse the rest of the damed royal family of that same offense!

"What am I _doing_?" I muttered bitterly to myself, "What have I _done_ to myself?"

I got up from my bed, carefully walking over to a chair. I examined the room, the windows, the doorways, any nook and cranny that I thought a person-or something else with a pulse-could possibly fit into. Satisfied that for the time being I _was_ truly alone, I collapsed into the chair, taking a much needed breather.

I tried to think of everything that happed today, in order, so as to somehow piece together the puzzle. I even opted for a diary, but threw that idea away as I thought about it getting into the wrong hands. I was already in enough trouble as it was.

For a few seconds, I thought about my life.

Then for a few more I thought about my childhood for whatever reason, and came to the sour conclusion that even my _childhood_ sucked.

And finally I thought about Jacob, and what he was doing, and how worried he must be, and how he must be killing himself for finding me missing.

I loved that side of Jacob.

The non-obnoxious, caring, loving side of Jacob.

The Jacob I knew before he changed.

I could feel my heart twist and turn as the memories of him and I grew stronger, as if he were sitting right next to me that very moment. And then I thought about how betrayed he would feel when he heard about my predicament and my marriage.

And then what was worse, I thought about how _angry_ he would be and how disgusted he would be that I would sell myself for so low.

It seemed to me then that my horrible night had gotten so much _more_ terrible, and I tried to steer my train of thought to a more positive direction, but, really, there was nothing positive I could think about.

I had just opened the door to hell.

_CREAKKK_.

"WHOA!"

The door _opened-_not that I was surprised, the whole damn house didn't believe in the concept of knocking- and on pure and utter instinct I had jumped up from my chair, and tried to grab anything I could to use for a weapon. The closest thing to me at that moment was a candle stick holder, so there it was in my hands, ready for action.

"Have you completely lose your _mind_?"

My head jerked up, and in my vision filled Edward Cullen, the demon, looking positively bemused.

It was actually funny, but the intensity of the moment made me forget how to laugh.

"I advise you to set that candle stick down, Bella, or else one might think you really have no brain at all."

He looked a bit alarmed, but once he spoke, he had to turn his head around. I looked confused, but my confusedness turned into sheer horror once I figured out that he was really holding back a _laugh_.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING _HERE_?" I bellowed, unbelievably angry and a bit humiliated, "AND **STOP** LAUGHING AT ME!"

Of course I should've known that he would laugh even _harder_.

I knew at that point that this guy didn't take me seriously at all.

But I would show him he was wrong.

One way or another.

"For-forgive me," he choked, trying to control himself, "But you look absolutely ridiculous. It's not often that I come into a room, only to be greeted by a mad women with a crude weapon. It's all very comical Bella-- you just need to relax and enjoy the moment."

"Oh ya?" I challenged, my voice rising, "Well YOU-"

And then I stopped.

For something hit me right then, and hit me hard.

Really hard.

Whoa.

**Wait.**

_**Bella?**_

Since _when_ did he get the _permission_ to call me by my nick name? How _dare_ he become so familiar with me?!

And who gave him the _idea_ to come _visit_ me during the _night_?

What was he, _depraved_?

"Who do you think you _are_?" I suddenly ranted, eying him with as much detest as I could muster, "And what made you think I wanted you in this room? And how _dare_ you try and be so friendly with me—you better stay back!"

My shout echoed throughout the walls of the spacious room, but I kept my eyes focused on the demon, watching for his reaction.

Of course, _ideally_, I would want him to look shocked and sober, understanding and respective of my opinions and feelings.

But alas, in actuality, he didn't seem to have much of a reaction at all. He didn't look even the _least _bit threatened by my hostility, not even a bit taken aback.

That really got under my skin.

It made me look like the only fool with emotions.

"Would you like the answers to your questions?" he finally piped in, looking irritated out of his mind, "For if you would, then I will do my best to answer them with much thought and consideration—so as to not hurt your feelings."-he gave me a small smile, I rolled my eyes-"First of all, I am your_ husband to be._ I'm sure that even a person with a juvenile brain like yours can understand that conception. Second, nobody told me to come see you, but seeing as how you're suddenly _engaged_ to me, and seeing how this is _anything_ but a love compact, I thought you would appreciate a little talk. And lastly, I heard your father call you that. And now that you are my wife, I don't see a need for anymore formality-not that you ever had it to begin with-so by that name I will address you....unless you prefer 'convict'."--he paused for a few seconds-- " Anymore questions, love?"

His eyes were burning into mine from across the room, but I kept his gaze, refusing to back down.

I forced myself to keep quiet, to not move, to not react. There was no doubt in my mind that he was messing with me, but I would not give him the satisfaction of my response.

Instead, I decided that the only way he would stop playing games with me was **only** if I fought fire with fire.

It was my turn to ask serious questions, and about time I got serious answers.

"Makes perfect sense." I finally sighed, changing my tone from what was once complete rage, to a more laid back aloofness, "And I can only assume that since you feel all formalities are gone, me and you can be completely honest with each other. Isn't that correct.....Edward?"

I observed what he would do, and I almost smiled with satisfaction.

He reacted just the way I wanted him too.

The sheer fact that I used his _name_ threw him off a bit, and he seemed a little confounded by my sudden alteration in mood. But naturally, his reaction time was very short, for as soon as he looked shocked, the faster he regained his composure.

"Of course." he stumbled, eying me curiously now, "That is exactly my point."

"So you are saying that when I ask you a question, you will give me a serious answer."

I bit my inner cheek, watching him intensely, waiting to see what his answer would be. If he refused, then all hope was gone.

My heart pounded.

Edward looked taken aback, and I relished the fact that he did not answer this question quickly, or with a smart Alec remark. His eyes never left mine, and I could tell he was thinking very carefully about his answer—probably thinking to what extent that question would mean to me.

Either way, I was just glad that I had achieved the breakthrough of him taking me seriously, even for a moment.

"Of course." he finally said, but very cautiously, "That is what can be inferred."

I almost shouted for joy at his answer. I quickly attacked him, not giving him the opportunity to take his words back.

"Then I can also infer that since you are here, with me, in this room, by ourselves, you have come to talk about things—like you said earlier."

I could tell he was getting uncomfortable by my sudden directness, but he also seemed slightly amused.

"Yes." he said again, "That is true."

I exhaled. "Then I am going to ask you a question, and you will give me a _serious_ answer."

"That is the plan, yes."

I noticed that his eyes never left mine, and I was almost breathless from the intensity of his stare. It felt like he was trying to read my _mind_ or something.... hah, like that was even possible.

But to a more serious manner, I had to think of a _good_ question. Something he could not get out of, something he could not use against me, or twist around. It had to be a very direct question, very direct.

And then it hit me.

"You, Tanya, your family....you're not...._normal_, are you?"

I couldn't explain to you his reaction and how it surprised me, couldn't explain why that sole question seemed to strike a nerve to him, seemed to make him look alarmed, as if he was scared of something—_what_ I couldn't tell.

"What kind of answer are you looking for?" he muttered out bitterly, his eyes narrowing, "Maybe you couldn't tell being an ill raised peasant, but that question was very rude."

My nose flared, and it felt as if he had slapped me across the face a dozen times.

How DARE he keep talking down on me like that?

"_Excuse me?_" I snapped back, shocked at his tone, "But you are the _last_ person to talk about manners, you pompous, jerk faced lunatic! And I am NOT a peasant—I worked my whole life for whatever I needed, it didn't come to me on a shiny golden platter like yours! And my question is not rude-- formalities are gone, or are you denying you ever said that?"

I felt myself growing braver, watching as his face grew into a slight annoyed frown as he smoothed his hair back, folded his hands together and placed them by his mouth.

I had to try very hard not to drool all over myself.

He was absolutely beautiful.

"I'm not denying anything." he explained, exasperated, "And I can tell that you are a very strong willed person. Yes, I did say that—I don't take it back. But the nature of your question.....it's ridiculous."

"Ridiculous? What's so ridiculous about it?"

His expression didn't change. "What answer are you looking for?" he asked, scrutinizingly, " What exactly are you expecting me to say? What do you _want_ me to say?"

I inhaled, forcing myself to stay steady.

He was taking me seriously now.

I couldn't afford to lose his attention

"I want you to tell me the truth."

"The _truth_?" his eyebrows raised, "Now let me ask _you_ a question."

I grew uneasy. Oh no....he was already controlling this conversation. I couldn't let him.

"Answer mine first." I demanded, not budging, "And then we'll really talk."

"Alright then."

The whole time my body was tense, super tight, my hands balled into fists.

I was really expecting a big argument.

But his blunt reply caught me off guard. I was dumbfounded.

"W..what?" I mumbled, in a complete daze, "Say that again?"

"I said alright then."

He got up, walking slowly around the room, but leaving me my space. "It's perfectly logical." he said again, his fingers gliding along the maple edge of the couch, " We'll take turns. So here I go, I will answer your first question: My family and I....well, we're a bit different from everybody else. I guess you could say we don't quite fit in, but other then that, we're perfectly fine."

Before I had time for his answer to register, before I could rebuke him with another inquiry, he had not given me a chance to make him go into further detail. By the time he had finished his answer, he threw one of his own at me.

"Now answer me this: Do you plan on being this stubborn and naive during your stay at the palace? For if you are, then I will tell you this now: It will be a very long couple of months. I strongly advise you to listen to what I tell you to do. And when I say something, do it, without giving me any of your words."

I cringed, the sharpness of his tone seeming to cut me.

I hated when he talked to me that way, like I was a little girl who needed scolding.

He was the same age as me! I couldn't stand the nerve of this guy....like he was something better.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I hissed, angered, "And don't expect me to be your little puppet, although I will say this: I will keep in mind whatever you have to tell me. But whether or not I take your advice, well, that's _my_ decision."

I looked away from him at once, but before I did, I could have sworn he was holding back a smile.

Or maybe it was all inside of my head.

I kept to myself for a few seconds, just thinking of what to ask him next, a question that he could not explain so easily.

My eyes widened, and I felt a wave of relief and conviction washing throughout my body as it hit me.

He had _just_ admitted that him and his family were not what he considered 'normal'--what ever that meant to a person like him—and my experiences in the palace so far _were_ far from normal.

Very far.

And then I got to thinking about what he meant when he said I would give him knowledge.

What did he need to know?

…..or what was he not _supposed_ to know?

Whatever it was, now was my time to find out.

"Here's my second question." I blurted out, causing him to eye me suspiciously, " And I want an answer."

His face became grave.

I took a deep breath.

"You and your family....you're not.....I'm _supposed_ to be here.... aren't I?"

I don't understand why I asked that question.

But it just came out.

His gaze was so intense, so serious, that it had taken my breath away. And then, for whatever reason, I felt that everything that happened so far was meant to happen, as if he was expecting it to happen.

I must have been going crazy.

"Very good Bella."

He didn't say anything more after that, just stared at me with that I'm-better-than-you-look. His eyes were pouring into mine, a faint smile on his lips. I gulped.

I tried to remember the earlier events, tried to remember _anything_ that could help me piece together the puzzle. It was obvious that his intentions weren't pure, much to his believable act earlier. '_Think_!' I screamed in my head, '_Try to come up with something!'_

Seconds flew by and I almost gave up hope. He was a master of this-master of deception. He _had_ to be-look where I was now. But some things just didn't add up in my mind.

How the King had openly accepted my engagement when he had been the one who wanted to kill me.

Why Tanya hated me so, why she threatened me, how she seemed to have super human qualities.

And how was it that after all these centuries of rule, all the royals were still young...-and _alive_.

"Are you afraid now?"

My eyes jerked to the source of the noise, which came from Edward, who's cocky look earlier became one of solemnity, even grave.

"I can't read your thoughts...." he trailed, "But it seems to me that your small feeble mind is piecing together the mystery. But believe me, love: It's not something you can easily imagine. Not even in your most wildest dreams, not even in your most absurd fantasies."

I bit my lip, the pressure almost making me bleed. I stared at him, observing, trying to attack his mind, trying to attack _anything_ that could tell me the real purpose I was here. In my moments of frenzy, a memory suddenly came across my thoughts.

"_What you will gain for me, my dear, is knowledge."_

Knowledge.

He wanted me for a bigger purpose then he let on.

There was something much more dangerous about to happen, something that he needed me for, needed me to deflect.....or absorb.

My heart quickened, my eyes dilated, and it was as if the most obvious truth just dawned on me then, the impact hitting me like a ton of bricks.

He was _USING_ me.

"You're using me!" I accused, pointing an angry finger at the culprit. I was engulfed in utter rage, fury like a poison contaminating me all over, "I might not be the lightest candle of the bunch, but even I know that there's something not normal going on here! You better tell me!"

I panted, my sudden outburst leaving me breathless. My nostrils flared, and I tried to get the message across that I was not going to fall for any more of his tricks—not any more of his stupid, _sick_ tricks.

"I don't know what exactly you're hiding from me," I trailed, my body shaking slightly, "But I deserve to know what's going on. You put me into this _mess, _into this _freakish_ nightmare....EXPLAIN YOURSELF!"

My cry echoed out through the room, and I could actually feel the eviction and sheer blinding rage coursing though my veins. My eyes shot back to Edward, back to the demon who kept me prisoner, but he still sat perfectly still, seemingly unfaded by my sudden effusion.

My eyebrows raised in distress.

This was not going to work, I suddenly thought, how could I get out of here if he was not going to take me seriously?

"My, my Bella." he finally sighed, eying me with a small smile, "were you being serious? I couldn't tell. In fact, I don't think I've seen a different emotion from you then utter rage – but then again, your rage could actually be fondness."

My breath got caught in my throat.

I've had had enough.

He was not going to make a fool out of me any longer. I would not stand for it.

"_FONDNESS_?" I screeched, finding sudden-and much appreciated- confidence building up inside of me, " THE ONLY FEELING I HAVE FOR YOU IS PURE AND UTTER _HATRED. _I COULD NEVER LIKE A **MONSTER** LIKE YOU, LET ALONE _LOVE_-- THINK YOU'VE GOT THE WHOLE COUNTRY FOOLED? _HAH_! I KNOW ABOUT 200 PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KILL YOU AND YOUR STUPID FAMILY! AND IF YOU DO NOT TELL ME WHAT EXACTLY YOU _ARE..._WELL THEN, THE WHOLE KINGDOM IS GOING TO FIND OUT AND THEN THEY WILL--"

I didn't have the chance to finish my statement. For before I even knew it, Edward had somehow transported himself from the other side of the room clear over to me, slamming me against the wall in the process. His hand was over mine, freezing cold, keeping me from saying another word. His eyes were black, pitch black, a black so dark it felt like I was going to get sucked into them.

I was never more scared in my life then I was right then.

For then, for whatever reason, a couple of realizations started to hit me.

It was quite obvious that Edward was not an ordinary human.

It was quite obvious that his _family_, that _Tanya _was not an ordinary human.

And it was sickeningly obvious that I was stupid to try and anger him.

Stupid, _Stupid_ me.

"If you were wise," Edward hissed, his snarl digging into my fear, into my eyes, " Then you will understand that if you say another word, you may not be in the same healthy condition as you are right now. You want some rules? Some code of conduct? Well, then, my dear, I will list you a few."

My fingernails were digging into the wall, trying to get a hold of anything I could. My knees were going to buckle under me, but Edward's spare hand grabbed my two arms—something I could not explain-- and promptly pinned them above my head. I was completely vulnerable, and he knew it.

"You dare to make threats to _me_?" he breathed, his eyes on fire, his eyes filled with, what? Excitement? "I knew from the first moment I saw you that you were naive, but now I see that you are completely thickheaded. Let me make things clear for you Bella, make things so perfectly clear that you will not have the opportunity to second guess them, make things so clear that even a stupid, silly, thickheaded person like _you _can understand it: You will never speak of what you have witnessed since you have entered my home. When somebody asks you how you are, you will smile and say, 'Fine, thank you.', when a person inquires about your stay with my family, you will giggle and say, 'They are wonderful.' One slip up, one tiny mistake, and it will not only be _you_ that will pay the consequences. You may not care for your own personal welfare—that much is obvious-- but maybe you will change your tune when it's somebody _else_ on the line....let's say for example your sorry excuse for a _mother_. Don't think I don't know anything about her—I know her residence and that is all I need to give the orders."

He stopped then, his face closing the gap between us until his nose was touching mine.

His body was pressed up so tightly against me that I could feel every bone, every _muscle_ in his body. And what scared me the most was that I couldn't feel him _breathing_.

I must have been crazy.

So crazy with fear that I was thinking insane thoughts.

Not only that, but his words scared me. There was a darkness in him that I had not seen before, an evil of some kind that had surfaced.

What had I done?

"Bella." he breathed, his voice suddenly light and airy, "I can feel your heart throbbing...it's going so fast. Are you scared of me? Are you filled with regret?"

The hand that he had placed over my mouth he removed, instead, to put on my leg that lost it's feeling long ago. I tried to say something, but my throat was so closed up that it hurt to even breathe. I couldn't say a word.

Not a single word.

Seconds went by, but those seconds felt like hours, hours of us being quiet, just watching each other. My eyes cast downward—I couldn't look at him anymore. I was so overwhelmed, I could have fainted.

I don't know why I didn't.

Even though I couldn't see him, I knew that he was studying me. My arms were still pinned above my head, my thigh still engulfed in his ice cold grip. I couldn't move, couldn't talk....I don't know what I could do.

"Bella." he whispered, trying to get me to move my head, "Look at me."

I refused.

"_Look_ at me." he whispered again, his voice aggressive. "Are you still going to disobey me? How much are you going to push your luck?--luck, I will admit, that you have so little of seeing as how you are a thief. You should know better then anybody that your own personal pride is nothing when compared to your survival. _Look at me_."

I felt my throat start to burn, and it felt like he had slapped me in the face with his remark.

_Him_, giving _me_ a lecture on being a _thief_?

I wanted to rip him apart.

I forced my eyes to look up, forced them with every fiber of my being to listen to me, to not look away and cost another blow. His gaze was steady, and so was mine.

To my surprise, he let go of my arms, which fell lifelessly at my sides. I didn't have the power or the common sense to move them. He was hypnotizing me—destroying me.

"I trust that this conversation will stay between us." he muttered, his eyes sparkling brilliantly, shining with so much light that I almost turned to jelly, "When you come down the next morning for breakfast, I will be watching your actions very carefully. For believe it or not, I _am_ your only ally in this palace. You want your life? Then you better live in mine for the term you agreed to-- or else I cannot promise you protection from your biggest enemies. Enemies, Bella, that you never even knew you had."

He stopped talking then, stopped speaking and just watched me closely. I wanted to stop shaking, wanted to stop feeling so scared, but I _couldn't_. Whatever was going on, I knew I had been placed in the center of it all. I was in the middle of this war, of this _hell, _of whatever he needed to use me for.

I seriously thought that he was going to leave. Thought that he was going to let me ago and walk out the door, to leave me in peace to think about what just happed. To think about whether or not any of this was real.

But I should've known that he did the opposite of everything I thought.

For before I knew it, he did the one thing that I could _never_ even dream of.

He was _kissing_ me.

All of a sudden, out of the blue, from the depths of tartarus, I felt his lips roam my throat, planting small kisses up and down my jaw line, and back, remaking the circuit over and over again. His grip on my body got tighter, more firm, but in a _different_ way then from before.

Before, it was a pressure of imprisonment, something so strong and cold that I could barley stand it.

This time, however, his grip was one of _passion_.

Like I had something he wanted—_needed_.

In a billion years I couldn't explain it, but then again, what could I really explain so far? Here I was, taken prisoner, engaged to a prince, harassed, threatened, almost killed, and now what? Sexually assaulted?

I felt my body shiver—with cold? For even though I wanted to hate it, wanted to feel absolutely disgusted and appalled....I _couldn't_.

It felt so indescribably _right, _so _good, _that I found myself closing my eyes and relishing the moment. Of course I wanted to slap myself. To take my dagger and ram it through my heart.

What was I _doing_?

And the thing that scared me the most?

Jacob didn't even once cross my mind.

Not even _once_.

Edward brought his face to my cheeks, kissing my softly, then slowly and masterfully made his way to my lips.

At first, it was light, barley-there pressure, but then, very soon, it got aggressive.

His lips rammed into mine, and I couldn't stop myself from kissing him back. His hands held my face in place, while his other gripped my thighs and hoisted them onto his waist, his body slamming me even more into the wall—if that was possible-- and keeping me there. Minutes went by and he made his way back down to my throat, back up to my lips, and so on and so forth. It didn't feel like it would ever end, and I _hated_ myself for it, couldn't even comprehend _why_ I wasn't stopping him, but I wished we were frozen in time.

It scared me, I thought then, how he had this _power_ over me. This power that I couldn't resist, that he _knew_ I couldn't resist.

How would he use that against me in the future?

More kissing ensued, and then, all of a sudden, it **stopped**.

Just like that.

My feet were back on the ground, and I found that I was breathless, gasping for air.

Edward, on the opposite side of me, also, surprisingly, looked a bit messy. His hair was everywhere, his eyes wide and wild, burning with passion and emotion I had not seen in them before.

I almost fainted at his beauty.

"Forgive me." he breathed, also breathless, I noted, "I don...don't know what came over me...I ju-just.."

I watched as looked confused for the first time ever, trying to find the right words to say. Me, on the other hand, no longer had the support to sit up. The moment he let me go I slid to the floor, my bones and body turning to jelly. I couldn't stand up even if I had wanted too.

The confusion Edward seemed to have vanished, and his face became one of solemnity and complete graveness.

"Good night, Bella." he finally said, his voice cold, much like it had been earlier, "I will make sure your door is locked. Do not worry: You will not have any other visitors tonight. Remember my warning, for tomorrow I will be watching every move you make."

Without a second more, he turned around and made his way to the door, I noticed, a little more feverish the he had before. He seemed to want to leave just as badly as I wanted him to.

"This can't be real." I finally whispered, my voice short-winded and in disbelief as he opened the door, "This is a dream. It _has_ to be."

Edward barley even took a step out the door before he stopped, and then slowly turned around, a small smirk dancing on his face. "A _dream_?" he breathed, eyes dancing, "Well, and here I thought dreams were supposed to be pleasant."

**Edward**

I locked the door behind me, careful to make sure that nobody was following me once I had left the girl's room.

As soon as the door was closed, I couldn't seem to let go of the handle. I just stood there, my hand inactive, my mind in a daze, contemplating, waiting.....waiting for what?

I didn't know what had gotten into me.

Millions of thoughts and accusations filled my mind right then, some from the humans in the building, others from my own head, and others still from my family.

I was letting my guard down, I realized, bitter.

I was losing control little by little.

Now I could hear all the thoughts in the palace, something I had trained strenuously not to do, something I had trained to be good at avoiding.

_WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?_

How was it possible that I could be in so much control one second, and so completely under her spell the next?

She was the devil, my own personal devil, the one demon in the universe that could drive me out of my mind.

I _KISSED_ HER FOR THE LORDS SAKES!

WHAT WAS I _THINKING_?

HAD I LOST MY MIND _COMPLELELY_?

As if her being a human and my engaged wife wasn't bad enough, on top of that having to deal with Tanya and her seemingly sick obsession with killing the girl.....and now I had to deal with an _attraction_ to her?

How could this _be_?

How in all the seven hells could I be attracted to a _mortal_?

It was unheard of!

Impossible!

My hand was quivering with rage and blind fury, and I realized that if I didn't let go of the handle then I would have for sure broke down her door. Concentrating rather hard, I detached my hand from the knob and backed away from her room.

No, I thought, this was **not** happening to me.

Not now.

Not ever.

She was a _human_.

A fragile mortal.

A weak warm fleshed parasite that couldn't hold an intelligent conversation.

She was my _food_.

No, I thought, impossible.

Hours seemed to pass by and I was still contemplating, still trying to figure out what I was going through-- for I was quite sure that nobody else in my family had ever went through this ordeal.

My mind wandered to Emmet, Rosalie, Jasper.....I couldn't think of one incident where they showed so much emotion for a mortal.

Not even _one_.

And here _I_ was, still outside the girl's room, _protecting_ her!

Keeping watch for her like I was her _dog_!

Why did I feel the need to protect her? Why did I feel the need to watch her and make sure she wouldn't get hurt?

I had tried to be cold to her.

To be evil and mendacious and a complete and utter horrible person to her.

But she deserved it.

She was getting too close to our secret, to our family.

Dangerously close.

I moaned to myself and wanted to slap my head. I was not helping in trying to steer her away from the truth. In fact, I had pretty much _invited_ her to our secret!

Threating her....what was I _doing_?

I had been around mortals long enough to know that if you tell them not to do something, they would do it anyways, and in most cases, try and do it even _harder_.

I _knew_ that.

So why didn't I just laugh it off?

Why didn't I just ignore her questions and leave?

_Why_?

And then my mind wandered back to her face.

And I thought about how her cheeks got red with anger, how her breast moved up and down as she breathed, how I could hear her heart beating faster and slower with her moods.

My mind went back to her eyes, and how they twinkled with a light I had never seen before in anyone, to her hair that smelled liked a field of roses all inviting me into their intoxication.

My mind went back to her lips, and how they were so pink and full and perfect, and to her body that-unlike her mind-was completely developed and proportionate to her being.

I realized then that I couldn't control myself. Even with my breath held, having her so close to me against that wall, feeling her body under mine, seeing the passion in her eyes....I couldn't resist. Before I even knew it, I had lost control and almost devoured her.

But that was not the most shocking point of the tale, oh no.

The most shocking thing of all was the sheer fact that she was kissing me _back_.

All that rage and anger she held a few minutes ago prior, _gone_.

It was something I could not explain idealistically, but intellectually, the answer was very clear.

She could not resist me.

I was a cold one, a perfect being, a predator more feared then the devil himself.

How could she hold back?

But how could I _not_?

I spent a few more minutes in silence, a few minutes to put myself together and think of a plan for tomorrow.

This girl, I thought then, was more powerful then she knew, much more powerful then she should be.

I couldn't read her mind, something that I had never been able to not do before.

She tempted me in ways I had never thought I was capable of being tempted.

And she had way too many questions that she was not afraid of looking into, dangerous questions that would undoubtedly get her killed.

I sighed, looking back up at her door, imaging what she was doing right now. It seemed to me then that the two months of us together would be much more harder then I ever imagined possible.

"You girl," I muttered under my breath, my eyes narrowing, "Had better watch your back. Heaven knows what will happen to you when you're not looking."

**Jacob**

I closed the door behind me, the small room smelling like musky pine cones and apples.

In front of me, a wooden table was placed in the center of the room, and sitting around it was Sam.

Sam was like a big brother to me—like a father. He was there with me from the beginning of my transformation right until the end, and my loyalty to him could never be broken.

For if you didn't know, I wasn't exactly a normal person.

I was a werewolf.

It happened when a Quilette male turned 16. The legend of our tribes say that we were ascended from the great wolf spirit, and the spirit gave us the gift of transformation, passed down until the last Quilette male died.

But like hell that would ever happen.

Sam is the oldest of the werewolves, and the leader. He helped every guy in our gang, and because of that, he makes all the shots.

"Jacob." he said, waving me to come closer, "Sit down. I have news to tell you, something you might be eager to hear."

My eyes widened.

And in that second it seemed that the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders, as if the past day of hell had been erased for good.

It seemed like I could live a little easier now.

"It's about Bells, isn't it?" I breathed, lurching forward and sitting down right across from him, "Tell me **everything**—anything you heard. Boy, I knew she couldn't be far, I mean that-"

"Jacob. Be quiet."

I held back, surprised at the seriousness of his voice, watching as Sam's face became solemn, unemotional. My eyes traveled to the table, and by his hand was a piece of paper....but what it said I couldn't be sure of. I waited for him to speak.

"What I have to tell you," Sam went on, his eyes urgent, "Can be good or bad news, but serious all the same. I need you to have a clear head about this—Don't you go jumping outta you're seat and not thinkin' like you do."

I didn't say anything, just nodded, but my grip on my seat grew tighter.

This wasn't going the way I thought it would.

"Our battle with the cold ones is comin' closer everyday." he went on, eying me with bitterness, "And it seems to me that if we don't strike soon, and boy do I mean soon, then we'll never have a chance to take them down. Embry's told me he senses that they know about us, and if we wait too long, well, they'll get back up."

I didn't drop my gaze—if anything, it got a hell of a lot stronger. Nothing made me more sick then the sound of those blood sucking parasites.

I wanted to rip their heads off.

"The sooner the better." I agreed, muttering, "I'll gladly destroy all of them freaks and get rid of them for good. Nothin' makes me want to barf more then the _smell_ of those monsters."

Sam frowned. "That's exactly what I'm talkin' bout, right there. _How_ are you goin' to destroy them? By yourself? Believe me, Jake, don't you underestimate their kind."

I felt the blood pumping through me faster now, my anger growing second after second.

"I'll have the whole gang with me!" I defended, my mouth forming into a snarl, "There's a hell-of-a-lot more of us then there is of them. It'll be damn easy....just give us the OK."

"You really think it's that simple?"

Sam shook his head, irritated. "You see what I mean? Jake, they got _powers_. They're fast, their killers—just like us. You need to plan this out—not just go for it. What we need is _inside_ help. Someone who can tell us all their weaknesses, all their plans, their ideas....and once we got that information, _then_ we'll strike."

A moment of silence passed between us, while I tried to register what he was talking about.

Had he lost his mind?

Where would we get that kind if help? And even if we knew someone inside the palace, they'd have to know what we _were_. And there ain't nobody who knows the secret but the Quilette tribe, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

"What are you talkin' about?" I grunted, trying to meet his gaze, "Ain't nobody who knows us....who exactly do you got in mind?"

Sam didn't answer me right away.

Instead, he started to look a bit uncomfortable, as if he was about to tell me something he didn't want to. He reached for the paper on the table, the same piece of paper I had seen before, and pushed it in front of me.

I stared at it.

"What the hell is this?" I asked, my voice annoyed, "You putting up help wanted signs or sometin'?"

Sam didn't budge.

"Just read it."

Keeping my gaze locked with Sam, I grudgingly turned the paper over and looked down.

NEW PRINCESS OF THE LAND FOUND!

Prince Edward Cullen has selected his princess at the palace today, this very afternoon.

Countless maidens from across the country attended, but finally, a bride was chosen.

The kingdom of King Carilse has not witnessed a marriage in centuries, and a new member of the royal family will be added.

Princess Isabella Marie Swan is the chosen princess.

The palace shall be holding a ball in celebration of the new princess, invitations will be given out only to the elite.

My eyes widened.

Oh.

My.

God.

OH.

MY.

FUCKING.

GOD.

What kind of _crap_ was this?

Was it some sick joke? Some stupid, fucking, _SICK_ joke?

The room spinned around me, spinning so fast that I thought I was flying off of the ground.

The color drained from my face, my body losing all it's heat and growing numb right down to the bone. And then I felt sick, so unbelievably sick that I could have puked a shit load right there and then.

"Wh...what..." I stuttered, not able to form words, "W..what the _FUCK_ is _this_?"

My hand slammed down on the table, nearly breaking it in half. Sam's expression didn't change, and that made me all the much angrier.

He KNEW about this, and by the looks of it, knew about it for some time.

"EXPLAIN THIS JACK TO ME!" I bellowed, jumping up and pointing a shaking finger at Sam, "WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT IS THAT? WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO FOOL?"

"I'm not fooling anyone." Sam sighed, rubbing his face with his hands, "One of the gang found it in the market today. He gave it to me without showin' anyone else. You're the only other one to see it."

My head was pounding, and I was losing control. The complete rage I felt was like nothin' I ever felt before. I wanted to kill someone, _anyone_.

"I SHOULDA BEEN THE _FIRST_ ONE TO SEE IT!" I snarled, my voice rising, "ALL THIS DAMN TIME I WORRIED MYSELF TO _DEATH_-- YOU KNEW ALL THIS DAMN TIME AND YOU TELL ME ABOUT THIS _NOW_? WHO GAVE THAT TO YOU? I'LL _KILL_ HIM!"

"I ain't goin' to tell you nothing."

Sam stood up, eying me dangerously. " And I'm damn glad you didn't see it until now. Knowing you, you woulda been acting like a fool, rushing to save her without thinking about anything or anyone. Now if you're smart, you'll sit your ass down right now and breathe."

I didn't feel like sitting, didn't feel like talking, I just wanted to rush out of there and get away from this hell hole. I wanted to save Bella, save her before those freaks touched her, before they laid a hand on her.

She was MY woman.

And I'd be damned before she was anyones else's.

ESPEACIALLY those fucking parasites.

"Sit down, Jake." Sam warned again, his gaze stealthy, "I don't like when people disrespect my place like that....if you had any sense you would sit down right now before you make me take another step."

My nostrils flared, my hands balled into fists so tight I though a vein would pop. Exhaling deeply, I stood across the table.

"I'll stop talkin." I hissed, bitter and full of contempt, "But I ain't goin' to sit down. Whatever you got to tell me now, it better be good."

Sam kept my gaze, no doubt testing me, and for moments it was just quiet, just the two of us staring each other down.

But no matter how long it took, I wouldn't sit down. Wouldn't show him for even a _second_ that anything was OK.

"Now let me finish speaking before you interrupt me again." he finally said, not budging, "And hear me out: She ain't going to get hurt," -I cringed, but Sam raised his hand in warning- "She ain't. I don't know how it happened, but somehow, Bells is over there right now, and with them. Before you go crazy again, think about this logically. SHE can help us. SHE can give us that information that we need. She's living with them now....this is a chance we won't ever get again. We can go to this ball, you can SEE her again, talk to her, and get this started. And after we've taken them down, we can get her back and you two ain't never going to be separated again, you hear? All I need is you to cooperate, listen to me. I'm only trying to help you, Jake, you know that."

My head was pounding, and I couldn't think straight. But one thing for sure, I was never going to let her stay there. Sam was out of his mind.

"Have you lost it?" I snarled, keeping as calm as I could, "You expect me to _leave_ her there, by herself, on her own? What makes you think she'll last that long? For all we know, they could be eating her this very second!"

I had to close my eyes then, mentally wincing at the thought of Bella getting hurt, getting touched by those freaks.

It made my stomach churn.

"They ain't going to hurt her."

My eyes shot open. "Oh ya?" I challenged, my voice rising, "What are you, some sort of physic? You don't know that."

"I know damn more then you do, and you better shut up right now and talk some sense."

I held back my tongue, my body trembling. I didn't know how much more of this I could take.

"This isn't the only thing I wanted to tell you. There's somethin' else."

I kept quiet, kept still, my mind wondering what else he could possibly tell me.

"The next couple of weeks are going to be hell, and believe me I know it. But I'm telling you this, and I made this decisions because even though I know you're a hot headed idiot, I trust you more then anyone in the pact. What I'm saying is.....I'll get right down to the point: Jake, I'm making you second in command of the Quilette tribe."

**Authors Note:** Don't kill me, Don't Kill me, Don't kill me. I know, super long wait. But I have a life, and it's not just making chappies. Really long, my treat to all you who waited, and again, sorry. After this, go read my new story, Seven Seas. Remember, REVIEW, REIVEW, REIVIEW!!!


	17. Secrets

You Make Me Retch

By: Maggiles

Chapter Seventeen: Secrets

**Bella**

It was morning in the palace, and I was already wide awake, being dressed and washed by my ladies in waiting.

But I didn't care.

After last night, I couldn't get any sleep anyways, so I was more than prepared for the maidens to come and attack me like I knew they would.

At first they were scared that I 'found my sleeping arrangements undesirable.' After much reassurance and insistence, they seemed to calm down and work as usual.

"Madam Swan," a maid squeaked, a bit timid, "This dress was especially chosen for you by His Highness Prince Edward. He orders that you wear it for breakfast."

_Any_ other thoughts that could've been swimming in my mind seemed to vanish, seemed to deteriorate into oblivion as soon as those horrific words escaped her lips.

_Ordered_?

As IF he could tell ME what I could and couldn't wear. He was not my master, my mother......what gave him the nerve to even suggest something like that?

Completely disregarding the events from last night, I jeered, my eyebrows raised in disgust.

The dress which lay in the maiden's hands was absolutely indescribable.

What he had picked out for me was hideous: Frilly, large, and such a dull red it almost looked like it had been made hundreds of years prior. The bows on the gown were loud and way overdone, especially for the casual occasion of eating breakfast.

It was preposterous.

"There is no way in the seven _hells_ that I would EVER wear that piece of garbage!" I choked, taking it from the maiden's hands, "It looks like it was thrown up from the demons of ugly attire!"

Repulsed, I threw it on my bed.

"Madam!" the maidens seemed to cry, their faces in shock, "You cannot disobey the Prince's orders. He was very insistent that you wear it. He said it was very important that you listen to what he says...."

"_WHAT_?"

The words were sharp, cutting into the room like a knife. So he obviously seemed to remember last night just as vividly as I seemed to have.

"_I'd consider it important that when I say to do something, you do it without giving me any of your words."_

That pig was undountley testing me, watching and waiting to see if I follow his 'orders'. Well, he was going to be in for a rude awakening when he saw this dress ripped up and thrown out the window.

I was not being rude, contrary to what the maidens' must have thought. After last night, I had been attacked, harassed, scared mindless, hurt, and put into a position in which I couldn't get out of. And now, this morning, as if adding salt to the wound, I was going to be forced to wear a parachute.

It was not as if he picked out the gown because he had truly thought it looked ravishing on me.

He picked it out for the opposite reason: Because it was so hideous and frill, he wanted to make a laughing stock of me in front of the entire royal family!

Well, I would not give him that satisfaction.

"Look." I said, eyeing the maidens with solemnity, "I would rather wear the bloody sheet from late last night then wear this dress for even a second."

The look of distress on the maidens' eyes was not a surprise to me: I was fully expecting it.

And even though I hated the thought of it, a part of me felt sickened with myself also. It was not that I had any bitter feelings towards the women personally, but the fact that they were forced to carry out the orders of the royals—no matter how ridiculous—made my skin boil. Could they not think for themselves? Was their whole lives _built_ around following orders and then committing suicide when they weren't fulfilled?

Exasperating.

"Madam...."they tried, picking the dress up carefully from my bed and bringing it to me, "The prince was _very_ insistent....we cannot disobey him."

I glared. "Well, I can. Apparently, I'm his wife"-- a second passed, my body cringing at the word—"and my word is as strong as his."

Frowning, I glided away from them as far as my room allowed, sitting myself in front of the dresser. Crossing my arms, I looked directly into the mirror, grabbing a brush and pulling it through my hair.

"And don't freak out over every little thing," I added, my voice hard, "Believe it or not, I know how to brush my own hair. And even more miraculously, I can dress myself."

Whimpers and whispers echoed from the corner of the room, the women in a panic not knowing how to respond to my bluntness. I heard scurrying feet and nervous coughs, all of them aimed directly at me. Against my will, I allowed myself to look at them, and felt a giant tug into my conciseness.

'It's not their fault....' I reasoned my head and heart clashing, 'their just doing their job. They have no choice....and I'm not making their lives any easier.'

My iron will crumbled to the ground, and hating myself for it, I got up, stretched out my arms, and sighed. One monster in the palace was more than enough, I decided. There was no reason for me to make things worse. "Alright ladies" I gave in, "....do whatever you want with me."

After all, my fight wasn't with them.....it was with that demon.

"Oh _thank_ you Madam!" the ladies breathed, rushing to me, "We'll have you ready in no time at all!"

"....of course."

I felt the tugging and pulling of my clothes and hair, hands going this way and that way as they covered me from head to toe. Deciding it was better off to just stay quiet and avoid further conflicts, I tried to keep my mouth shut.

However, I couldn't control my cringing when I saw the giant parachute dress come my way. What I fool I was to become.

Sensing my discomfort yet feeling my sacrifice, the ladies in waiting tried to speak out of the awkwardness.

"Madam, this is going to be the most delicious breakfast in your life!" a woman squeaked, brushing my hair, "King Carlisle ordered that the chefs have no limit to what they could create!"

"Amazing if you ask me."

"I know! Have you ever seen the royal family eat?"

"Never....not even my own grandparents have. They say that they don't eat at all—oh."

In that split second, all the information and pieces to the puzzle of the mysterious family would slowly be put together.

The comments and talk seemed to disappear and all the maidens became eerily quiet, all of them glaring angrily at the one maiden who had spoken.

"I...I'm sorry Madam." she stuttered, looking away. The maidens still held in their breath, the mood becoming very thick and uncomfortable, yet the damage had been done. She already caught my attention.

"Please don't be sorry." I rushed in, grabbing the maiden by the arm, "I wish you'd continue..... Are you saying that not one of you have ever seen the royal family _eat_?"--I looked around, the maidens all seeming timid-- "Why is that? Do....do they eat in private or something?"

Nervous coughs and gestures made me more inpatient, and I could tell they were not going to answer me. Laughing it off, a few of them tried to get back to work, fitting the corset around my waist.

"No!" I fought, jerking out of their grasp, "No, don't just keep on working! I asked you a simple question. Now tell me: Why have you never seen them eat? I'm just curious....I won't tell a soul, promise."

Looking around, the women didn't seem bought. They kept their heads down, all looking away from me. Distressed, I targeted the one girl who had spoken.

"You." I said, reaching for her, "Tell me what you were talking about earlier. It's OK. Whatever it is, I won't mention it ever. To anyone."

Inside of my heart I knew that this little talk would help broaden my understanding of the Cullen family and what their lives were like. How stupid of me, I thought, That I never stopped to question the only people who have ever been in the palace.

The servants.

Why is it that I had never seen them outside the palace before? Never even had a mention of them, a picture of them, no family waiting for them at home.....it was all very queer.

"Madam, please..." she squeaked, tense, "I cannot say."

"No one is stopping you......And as your future queen, I command that you answer my question."--I hated myself for talking this way, but it was the only option I had left-- "If you don't, then I have no other choice but to discuss it with the Cullen's this morning at breakfast.....I wonder what their response will be?"

My plan seemed to work.

Heads popped up, distress filled their eyes, and a feeling of immense pressure covered the room like a morning mist.

"Madam..." the maiden croaked again, "I can't—"

"No. Wait."

All heads turned to the source of the noise, which seemed to come from the oldest woman in the room, who looked about fifty. She had brown eyes and her hair was covered with a scarf. She took in a breath, "Madam...." she whispered, her eyes darting back and forth as if she were being watched, "If you wish, I shall tell you what you want to know, but heed this warning: There are something's in this world that cannot be explained."

Nervous coughs broke through the silence, and I could tell that I was pushing these girl's boundaries. Yet at the same time, my curiosity was burning with what could _possibly_ be scaring these girls to the point of silence.

And what was this old woman talking about?

I watched as she approached me, gesturing for the girls to return working on me, and of course, they did. However, she stood in front of me, her eyes holding my gaze. I didn't look down.

"To answer your question, Madam," she began her voice the only audible noise in the room, "No. None of us have ever seen the Royal Cullen Family eat, it's true. And no, we have never spent long periods of time in their presence. In fact, 95% of the time we never see them. For you see, the Cullen's are a very.....unique family."

I flinched, a maiden ramming the brush through the knots in my hair. I took in a breath. "Unique?" I repeated, questioning, "Can you clarify?....and.....the maiden from earlier. Even her _grandparents_ never have seen them eat? I've just seen them all yesterday....they are all very, _very_ young. And I have not seen many old people...people old enough to be grandparents. So....what does that _mean_? How....how old _are_ they?"

The woman looked away, and I sensed that I was pushing them too far. And yet, I deserved to know what was going on.

"I'm sorry..." I suddenly gushed, feeling dizzy, "I-I know this sounds crazy. But please...a lot of crazy things have happened to me already, and I need some answers. I know that something is not right....I just want pieces to the puzzle, and right now, you guys are all I have."

My corset strings were pulled tightly, and I gave a little yelp as I felt my ribs crunching together. I frowned, because a part of me knew that whoever was behind me could've been a lot gentler with me. But whatever.

Their defiance only made me more determined.

"Answer me." I breathed, getting bolder, "Do not waste time and hope this will all go away. Better answer me now or I'll ask somebody else."

The old maid in front of me looked torn. Seconds passed by and I struggled to maintain the stare as the monstrous dress was being pulled over my body and tied around me.

"Alright madam." she sighed giving in, "I can already tell that you will not rest until the truth comes out. However I will tell you right now that I do not know all that is of the Cullen family, yet only experiences and tales passed down by generations. If you feel there is a larger piece to discover, you must go on that journey on your own."

Taking in a breath, I nodded. "Of course."

With a shake of reluctance, she began her story.

"I know that it may seem strange to a lot of outsiders in the kingdom that no one ever seems to have access inside the palace. And I know how dangerous curiosity can be. You see Madam, all the maidens you see around you," --she gestured around the room, pointing to all the woman attending to me-- "All these girls are children of past servants, and those servants children of past servants, and so on and so forth... to put it bluntly: All the servants you see roaming these halls have been decedents of past servants. Everybody in these walls have been bred here since anyone can remember."

My eyes widened.

"What?" I whispered, my heart accelerating slightly, "Are you saying that everybody here has never been outside these walls?"

"Correct."

Millions of thoughts swam inside my mind, and I couldn't think of what to say.

That explains why I had never seen these women before. No one had.

"But....what about my father? Chief Swan? He was never....never 'bred' here. He used to live with my family at home."

The old woman nodded. "Yes. He has, but my dear....he has been the first person to come here since the beginning of this kingdom. And he has been ordered never to return home. Has he visited you and your family since he has arrived?"

I exhaled. "No. He hasn't."

She smiled. "Of course. That is the way of the Cullen's."

Moments of silence passed, and all that could be heard were the sound of fabric moving and brushes being pulled through my hair. I was speechless.

"Please..." I whispered, my voice weak, "Please....just tell me frankly: What are you trying to say?"

I could feel the tension in the air, so thick you couldn't cut it with a knife. I didn't know what to think, or where exactly this conversation was going to end at. All I knew was that my gut feeling had been right: The Cullen Family was far from normal. And if this old maid was truthful, the Royals were the reason my father never came home.

He had no choice.

"My dear...." the old maid finally croaked, holding my gaze, "My parents, and my grandparents, and my great grandparents....they have all worked here, and have bred through the branches to have me. Long ago, my great grandmother had been able to keep a small portrait of the Prince, and she had kept it and passed it down the generations, passed it down and now it is in my hands."

Not breaking her gaze, she reached into her dress pocket and pulled out a small locket. I could feel the hands around me grow tense, and the anxiety in the room was growing.

I was scared.

I was scared to reach out and grab the locket.

Scared to see the truth.

Scared to find out the secret, the secret that I had become a part of...or what I wasn't supposed to be a part of.

My hand reached out, quivering, and I grabbed the locket, slowly bringing it to my face. All the maidens had stopped working on me, all of them silent and still, all of them not breathing, not blinking.

Inhaling, my heart beating so fast I could feel it in my chest, I slowly unlatched the lock and let the cover fly undone.

And then I almost screamed.

For in the picture, there sat a small portrait of Prince Edward Cullen, looking exactly as he did this very day.

**Edward**

"What is taking that human so long?"

I looked over at Jasper, who sat across from me at the table, looking completely uninterested at the occasion. He gave me a death stare, as I rolled my eyes and looked away.

"You can't rush mortals," Alice piped in, nudging him with her elbow, "And besides, she must be _exceedingly_ nervous. Poor thing.....I should've introduced myself last night."

"_Rush_?"

Rosalie hissed at the rest of us, looked very irritated, her tone sour. "Humans have a ridiculously short life span: If she doesn't make haste now, she might as well die tomorrow. Extremely rude if you ask me."

"Nobody's asking you Rosy."

Emmet had a giant grin on his face, his eyes dancing directly at me. "Cheer up, Honey," he bellowed, tapping his fingers along the table, "After all, this is Eddie's new wife we're talking about. If it can't be a vampire, why not a human? And when he's done, he can have himself another."

Gasps and snorts erupted from the table, and all I could think about was my hands around Emmet's neck.

He always said foolish things.

My eyes averted to Carlisle and Esme, who sat at the front of the large maple table, burying themselves in their own conversation. I couldn't be sure what they were talking about, and yet I knew that it was futile to even try. If I began to use my powers, Carlisle would know and immediately stop the conversation. I frowned bitterly.

"Look at all this food!" Alice chirped, cheerful as always, "I say we should have this breakfast occasion more often!"

Looking at all the dishes in front of us, she looked at Carlisle who stopped his conversation with Esme. "Carlisle...if mortals have this every morning, they must be the happiest creatures on the planet!"

"Or the most gluttonous." Rosalie muttered her eyes acidic.

Sneers and comments like these seemed inevitable, and I should've expected them. I mean, this whole occasion was amazingly idiotic.

A cult of vampires sitting around a table of food—not food that we could actually consume—talking about a human bride and her future at the palace.

Of course I knew that secretly, all eyes were on me, trying to figure out what had gotten into me last night. The only people with any sort of understanding were Alice and Carlisle, and even they did not have the full picture. The tension was high, the discomfort even higher.

"I still cannot believe we are all sitting here, like some fools." Rosalie continued, her gaze hot on me, "I can tell that it'll only be a matter of time before she figures out something is wrong-"

"Don't give her too much credit."

Jasper was mumbling underneath his breath, his eyes weary, "Humans do not take full advantage of what little intellect they have: I doubt she will sense anything. She will be dumbstruck by our aura, nothing but a doll in our hands. It will be easy to manipulate her--"

"No."

All conversation stopped, all eyes turned on me, taken aback.

"Believe me, humans are not as dull and dumb as we would like to think." I muttered, my tone grave, "They have a dangerous sense of curiosity, and will not stop to solve a puzzle—even if it means their life as the price. Whatever we do, we must be careful. She is already suspecting."

Everybody at the table seemed to be in a stupor, shocked at my apparent warning.

"What are you talking about?" Esme asked, her voice cautious, "What has she seen? She has only been here one night!"

As I opened my mouth to speak, the doors to the room burst open, and in our vision filled Tanya.

Ugh.

"So _this_ is where everybody is!" she exclaimed, a devious smile on her face, "And here I was looking everywhere. I hope you can all understand why this would be the last room I would ever look into."

Nobody at the table said anything, all eyes watching as she made her way across the room and to our table. A maid pulled out her chair, putting in front of her another plate.

"Here you go, Madam." she squeaked, her head bowed low.

Without the slightest consent, Tanya pushed her over, and took her seat be my. I looked away.

"Good Morning, Tanya." Carlisle said, a smile on his face, "How was your night?"

"Perfect," she sighed, her nose crinkling at the sight of the food, "....How sweet. Giving the human girl some nutrition? I couldn't have suspected any less from you Carlisle. Edward and I spent much quality time catching up."

Dishes clashing together erupted soon afterward, and I could feel everybody gawk at my face. I looked at Tanya, my face aloof.

"Ahhh yes." I said, my eyes cold, "We were just talking about that, my family and I. But I suppose you can explain it better: What were you doing last night in Bella's room?"

Whispers exploded and all attention was put back on Tanya and, much to my satisfaction, so was Carlisle's.

Even Tanya seemed shocked by my response....not by my accusation, but by the sheer fact I had used the girl's name.

I could feel her jealousy.

"Why yes." she agreed, her eyes stealthy and uncouth, "Me and the girl _did_ have some time to chat with each other—very briefly, of course."

She didn't say anything more after that, but she should've known that that kind of response wouldn't suffice. I had already dug her grave.

"Care to elaborate?" Emmet accused his tone hard, "What exactly did you say? Maybe you haven't gotten the memo, but our family is really into keeping secrets."

"Yes." Carlisle added, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, "Emmet is right. And I hope you understand that you are more than welcome in our cult, Tanya, but we do have some boundaries. Did you give her any reason to expect anything out of the ordinary?"

Even though we were all talking quietly, I saw Esme gesture to all the maidens to leave the room at once. Within a moment's pause, they were all gone.

"_Me_?" Tanya breathed, mocking offense, "Carlisle....you should know me better. Even if I were to say anything of suspicion to the girl, I doubt she's intelligent enough to even register the full conversation. All humans are like that," --she looked around the table, as if proving how silly we all were-- "and do not blame me for your lack of security when it comes to your 'identities'. This entire kingdom is just a silly old flame waiting to catch ablaze. Believe me when I say this: You have all dug your own graves."

Plates and forks clashed on the table and Emmett and Jasper stood up, their fangs in full view and hissing. Tanya, in defense, also shot out from her chair, taking the same defensive position.

Esme stood in panic, while Alice tried to calm them down.

"Jasper!" she cried, "Emmett! Sit down! You two are acting like complete animals!"

"_US_?" Emmett bellowed, "Open your ears Alice! This thing just insulted our family and our way of life. SHE DOESN'T NEED TO BE HERE!"

Rosalie continued to sit down, her eyes catching with Tanya's, her face morphed into a disgusted scowl. From the corner of my eye I saw Carlisle stand up, about to make a move, when all of a sudden, a noise protruded through the room, a noise so small and insignificant, yet at that moment, the _one_ noise that was able to stop every person in the room.

_CREAKKKKK._

The door was opening.

In a flash, everybody had sat back down, everybody controlling themselves, everybody looking in the same direction, looking at the door that opened slowly.

And there stood Bella.

"Here she is, Your Majesties," an old maid announced, guiding her into the room, "It took a while to get her ready, our apologies."

Carlisle gave a nod of approval, smiling. "Perfectly alright, thank you madam."

With a small bow, the old maid worked her way out of the room, and yet something she thought had caught my attention.

_'I hope she's OK. She has only been in the palace for not even a day! Maybe I had told her too much....too much. She wasn't ready to hear of such stories....not ready at all.'_

The door shut quietly, and my mind froze, a sharp feeling of fear slicing into my system.

**What had she been told?**

And soon I found myself gazing only at her, gazing at her face and eyes which had lost the luster they had prior to last night, her skin that had become significantly white, her body looking frailer than usual, more cautious.

Her mind held no thoughts, as I knew they wouldn't. I couldn't stop my claws into digging through the chair, my body rigid and bewildered.

This was not good.

"Isabella!" Esme exclaimed, getting up and walking over to her when it became apparent to everyone that she was not going to walk any farther, "Welcome my dear! Don't be shy; we are your family now. Come-" --Esme grabbed her hand--"Join the rest of us for breakfast."

Quietly and slowly she came, her eyes on the table, her eyes meeting mine for a second before looking away. Nobody breathed, nobody moved, the only audible noise in the room the sound of her footsteps clacking on the marble floor.

Tanya jeered. "_What_ on _earth_ is she wearing? If I didn't know better, I would think she grabbed a curtain off one of the windows and threw it on herself. It's hideous!"

I shot her a cold stare, one of complete bitterness and irritation, but she didn't seem to care. Alice gave her a quick look before turning her attention to glower at me.

"Edward," she hissed, her eyes narrowing, "Where did you even _find_ that piece of trash? Is that how you want to represent the family?"

"I think it's rather fitting." Rosalie smirked, raising her glass to me, "After all, she couldn't possibly get any less appealing."

These little side comments continued as she made her way forward, and I couldn't help but agree. Jasper and Emmett were holding back laughter, their faces twisted in distortion. Carlisle couldn't stop gawking, and Esme couldn't seem to take her eyes off of the poof on her sleeves.

Hmmm….maybe it was a little much.

Trying to get her apparel out of my mind, I could sense that she was not acting normal, could sense the strange aura surrounding her, could see her eyes and the wild look they had when she came close to everyone.

"Bella," Alice chirped, pulling out a chair, "Come sit next to me! I'm dying to know more about you, Edward, you, and I can become the best of friends, I just know it!"

Hesitating, staring, as if she was expecting something to happen, the girl sat slowly in the chair, her eyes cast downward. Next to me, I could hear Tanya's grunt of displeasure.

Everything was quiet for what seemed the longest time, and nobody touched anything or said anything or moved anything. Nobody but myself could know what had happened to the girl earlier, what she had been told or exposed to, so why was the tension so much more thicker when she entered the room?

I saw Alice bite her lip, saw Rosalie scrutinizing every part of Bella while Esme still couldn't take her thoughts off of her apparel. Emmet and Jasper just looked down at their plates while Tanya continued to scowl from across the table.

Oh no…..this was not going as I had planned.

More and more time seemed to pass by, and as the seconds ticked, so did the tension in the air. Soon, it was getting down right ridiculous how awkward everything seemed to be, how queer, all because a frail human girl had entered the room.

Shameful.

"So….are you hungry?"

All eyes met with Alice, who broke the silence for the sake of us all. "Bella, love," she smiled, grabbing a roll off of the plate, "Would you like to try something? Not to brag, but we have some of the best chefs in the country. And all the food is especially fresh and good for you. Here…..help yourself."

She placed the roll on the girl's plate, and she did nothing but stare at it. After a few seconds of no response, she finally looked up.

I could see the stress on her face.

"Umm….aren't any of you going to eat anything? There is a lot of food here…"

Everyone seemed to jump up at her answer, as if she had stated the sky was blue. _Of course_….what complete imbeciles we were making of ourselves. But we couldn't be blamed: We didn't know any better.

So awkwardly everybody reached out and grabbed things and put them on their plate, spoonfuls here, spoons there, a few grains every so often. Soon, everybody's plates were filled, but the look on her face hadn't changed from bizarre.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Esme asked, her voice gentle, "Go on, eat to your heart's content. You must be starving. Haven't eaten since yesterday morning, no?"

Bella nodded. "No…I haven't, thank you."

Coughs and tapping fingers ensued as she continued to look down at her plate, as if in some sort of deep thought: This alarmed me, for I couldn't help but feel she was trying to make sense of our unusual behavior, as if she was putting together the puzzle pieces of our family.

I couldn't let her do that.

"Eat." I finally said, my voice harder then I intended it to be, "What are you waiting for?"

Immedialty she shot up her head, her eyes glaring. "You don't have to tell me to eat," she shot back, her voice defiant, "I'll eat when I want to eat. And thank you for this dress: It's absolutely ravishing. The maiden's tell me you picked it out especially for this occasion."

I recoiled back, eyes wide and amused at the sudden fire she had in her. "Yes, I did."

"That's great. Thanks."

"There is no need to be rude, love, it was merely a suggestion."

"_Suggestion_? No. A suggestion is gently giving some advice. You demanded. There is a major difference."

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"Oh really? That's not what you said last night."

_Boom._

Anything else, she could've said ANYTHING else except that. Immediately all eyes turned on me, the table quiet, some dishes clanking, thoughts running wild.

Inhaling, my eyes narrowed as I met her gaze. "I just gave you some rules to attend by, while you're still new here," I explained, not taking my glance off of her, "I thought I was being courteous, but maybe I should've waited while you civilized yourself a bit. After all, you can't expect to take the barbarian out of the girl so fast, correct?"

Alice gasped, and everybody at the table could feel the tension rising.

This girl was getting braver, I thought, too bold for her own good.

"No, you can't." she agreed, picking at her food, "Like you said, I am just a barbarian trying to start fresh in this new place. What's your excuse?"

"_Pshhhhh."_

Giggles around the table erupted, and my head cocked to the side, incredulous.

How dare she? Had she not heeded my warning from last night? Was she not scared of what would happen to her if she remained so wild? Well, she would learn, sooner or later. I promise that.

"You're talking like a peasant." Tanya swiftly interrupted, her eyes on fire, "It doesn't seem to me that you and Edward are as in love as you claim to be. Maybe this was all just a big mistake on your part…you're free to leave anytime you desire. We can pack your….your tablecloth in no time, I assure you."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Bella smiled, her voice overly sweet, "I'm perfectly alright here as I am, my room is very comfortable. But I would really appreciate it if you replaced that broken oil bottle you destroyed last night in my room. Is your hand all better? I mean, from the way you destroyed it with your bare hands, I would think you would've bled just a bit. No injuries? Strange…."

Tanya's eyes widened, looking bewildered as she bit her lip in anger. I almost had to smile: Maybe the girl wasn't as bad as I originally thought.

But the damage was done: Everybody was completely immersed into the conversation, which was not going the direction I had wanted it to.

"Your Majesty…." The girl asked, her eyes not leaving mine, "May I ask you a question?"

Everybody kept quiet, watching her, waiting for whatever she was going to say. My eyes never left her sight. What was she planning?

"You need not call me Your Majesty Isabella…..you're family now. Just call me Carlisle."

She smiled. "Carlisle then….if you don't mind me asking: How long have you been in power?"

Alice had spit up the wine she attempted to drink, Esme dropping her fork of salad on the plate which came crashing down. The uneasiness was complete.

"Bella!" I suddenly said, rising from my seat, "May I talk to you in private for a moment, please?"

The girl smacked her lips together and gave me a small smile, "Now Edward, dear, don't be rude! I'm trying to get to know your family better. I was in the middle of asking Carlisle something—"

Carlisle jumped. "NO! No…."—a brief laugh—"It's quite alright, really. Please…go ahead."

Smiling sweetly, she nodded and got up. I rushed by her, guiding her to a small corner of the room. When I turned her around to face me, the smile she had on her face disappeared, and it's place was a look of irritation.

"What do you want?" she spat out, eyebrows raised, "I was in the middle of eating."

"I want your brain and common sense to come back into your feeble little head. Let me make this perfectly clear: You are stepping very close to the limit."

"Ohhhh the limit? Well, normally I would heed your 'suggestion', but that was only because I thought you were a normal family. Well, now I know better, don't I?"

My stomach dropped, and my chest felt unusually heavy. "What….what are you going on about?"

She glared. "I saw a picture of the past prince from one of the maidens. And guess what? IT'S _YOU_ IN THE PICTURE! And don't even for a _second_ think that I'm going to fall for that whole It's-a-strong-family-resemblance crap because I don't believe it. And it's not just you….it's your whole family! So how old are you guys? Hm? 50? 300? I DON'T KNOW!"—she threw her hands in the air, clearly out of breath, "How stupid did you think I was? I mean, after Tanya came over threatening to kill me if I stayed to close to you—"

"Wait." I breathed, feeling unusually dizzy, "Tanya threatened to _kill_ you?"

"Oh don't act so surprised. You tried to do it too! _And_ your father! In fact, it wouldn't shock me to learn there was _poison_ in my food this very second!....."

The girl continued to vent, but my mind still lingered on Tanya. How dare she try to impose her will on the girl?

She was mine.

It occurred to me then that I was going to have to talk with Tanya on a more serious note, for if she dared to threaten my mate one more time I would have very little self control.

Wait…..my _mate_?

What was…what was _wrong_ with me?

"_Look_!" I hissed, shaking my head, "I don't know what you found out or what you've heard about my family and I, but I assure you it's not true—"

"Bull!"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Her voice was hard, but pleading, "If you expect me to stay here and SURVIVE for however long you need me, then I need to know what is going on. And don't act so innocent: You are going to use me for something, something I'm scared to learn about. So just share with me what….just tell me what you _are_."

My breathing was rigid, my nostrils flaring. Oh no….this was getting out of control.

She knew.

"I'm a human being—"

"NO!" she almost yelled, shaking off my hand, "You may seem human in form, but you're…you're not. You-you _can't_ be. No. You are something else."

Her body was quivering, and inside I quietly panicked as I looked from the corner of my eye and saw my alarmed family all staring at us, occasionally talking amongst themselves.

I needed to speed this up.

"…..that girl Tanya has super human strength and doesn't get hurt. I saw you vanish into _thin air_ when you tied me against the tree, you ripped out a BRANCH of a truck without any effort at all, you're stone cold and hard—"

"_Enough_."

My voice was full of venom as I grabbed the girl's arm and led her through a back door, locking it from behind me. Making sure no one was in the small room, I backed her up against a corner, pushing her as far in as I could. Reaching out and pinning her arms to the wall so she couldn't resist, I spoke, "Alright then, girl" I whispered, my tone acidic, my face as close to her's as I could be, "Seems to me that you couldn't heed my warning…you had to be curious and learn too much for your own good, well, now you're really into this. You want the truth? You want to hear what my family IS, what we ARE, is that really what you want?. Do you think you can handle it?"

She tried to be strong, tried to keep a straight face, unflinching, but I knew better. I could hear her heart flying in her chest, could feel the slight tremble of her body in my hands. I continued, "You're right: The Cullen's are not what you think we are. That picture you saw? That WAS me. Did you ever wonder why my body was cold, why I am like a stone, how I can fly, destroy, and be so impossibly beautiful that you cannot stop your lustrous mind from thinking about me? Did you ever wonder why whenever I spoke you always seemed to listen, just to have the chance to hear my voice, and whenever I touched you melted in my hands like putty? No, this is not normal, and neither is the rest of my family. You really want to know what we are?"

Seconds passed and I could see the stress on the girl's face as she tried to keep her stare with mine, could see how she began to look panicked and hesitant, all before she quietly whispered, "Yes. I do."

"You _do_?" my voice was almost mocking, cold, my nature coming through in the form of distress, for I couldn't hide the truth any longer. If I did, she would snoop around herself and figure it out, one way or another.

This was all a big mistake. Her scent filled me with desire, her body which I could feel against my own overflowed me with lust, and I couldn't hold back. "Be warned before I speak, that we are your worst nightmares. We are in every storybook and legend, the reason why nobody goes out into the night, the reason for screams and terror and where myths about evil spring up. And let me make this perfectly clear: Once you discover this secret, there is _no_ turning back."

Her body was trembling, but her face was still unchanged, still strong, still awaiting her foolish answer.

"Alright then," I exhaled, my eyes burning, " I'll tell you: I am a vampire."


	18. Vampire

You Make Me Retch

Chapter Eighteen: Vampire

By: Maggiles

"_All adventures, especially into new territory, are __scary."_

--Sally Ride

**Isabella**

"I am a vampire."

What a word. I remember feeling this sort of chill explode inside of my body, my eyes seeing stars as his hands almost crushed mine while he squeezed it. His eyes were on fire, burning, turning black? Or maybe I was just crazy, because at that moment my brain was dead, not sending me signals, not giving me any type of answer or reaction in how to deal with this kind of situation.

"Are you speechless?" he muttered coldly, still as close to me as ever, "Why do I find that hard to believe? All this time you have done nothing but talk; and now ironically enough when I want you to speak, you refuse."

I _wanted_ to open my mouth. I really did. But my tongue was glued inside my head, and it was as if my body was shutting down—not from fear, but from something else.

I was in shock, simple as that. His face was beautiful—angry, anxious, expecting, relentless. The way he was breathing, the shape of his eyebrows as they expanded across his forehead, even his breath blowing on my face made me weak kneed and dizzy, and all I could do was stand—not even if he wasn't holding me up—and take it all in. He had me wrapped around his finger like honey to a bee and he didn't even know it yet. Or did he?

In any case he didn't move from his position on me, his eyes still piercing into mine, until they flickered to my chest for just a second. Under normal circumstances I would've punched somebody, but I couldn't seem to move.

"Listen to your heart fly," he murmured softly—thankfully? "It's about time you had a normal reaction. Under all these conditions you have tried to remain strong…you will not believe how wonderful it is to smell your fear."

I almost couldn't breathe, because he was absolutely right: My heart WAS flying, so fast in fact, that I couldn't keep up with it. Maybe he _could_ hear my heart beat. I mean, that wouldn't be such an amazing feat compared to being able to disappear in split seconds or breaking trees in half and being able to throw them fifty miles into the distance. I shuddered with the thoughts of what else he could accomplish.

And then as my brain tried to take in all the shock of the moment, it began to do some processing.

Vampires.

What exactly did that mean? In all the myths and legends I have heard, vampires were evil. Seemed like a perfect fit, I thought bitterly. They were blood drinkers, primarily from humans, killers, heartless, cold…..dead. My heart skipped a beat. As I looked into his eyes he seemed more than alive to me. Yes, his skin was icy cold, and I was sure that he didn't have a heartbeat, a pulse, anything to show that he COULD be alive, and yet there he was right in front of me. So beautiful.

Never did I hear a tale about a vampire being some kind of attractive being. My mind tried to fight the claim, but ever since I arrived in this palace I had been surrounded by these creatures, these amazing creatures basking in beauty, in wonder….he seemed to suck up my being with his eyes, so piercing, so perfect. It was frightening.

A person being _that_ exquisite, that striking, to be mistaken for an _angel_….what powers could he hold over a person? The wonder of an angel, the beauty, the innocence….only to cover up the inside, the real him, the demon, the evil, the fear. All these contradicting ideas swirled around him, MADE him, and they all came together in this perfect way in forming his being.

Edward Cullen.

Prince and future king of the nation, of the _world_.

It was only a matter of time before he sought total conquest.

"Say something." He whispered, demanding, "You're afraid of me….aren't you?"

His eyes were roaming over me, staring into me, not budging. I could tell he was trying to read me, concentrating, but to no prevail.

What happened next I couldn't be sure of, couldn't be sure of how my body was able to speak after these intense moments of silence, but I was able to.

"No." I said, defiant, "I'm not scared of anything."

For a second he didn't say anything, didn't react, but after a while he smirked, as if he had just discovered something oh-so-clever. "Then I guess we're going to have to fix that…." His face pushed forward gently, and he came closer and closer to me. I held my breath, my lungs were bursting, my mind frantic, and all I could think was 'Oh god…he's going to kiss me.'

But I didn't try to fight it. I couldn't. I didn't even want to. I closed my eyes and waited for it, his presence getting closer and closer to my lips before….

*_KNOCK KNOCK*_

The door pounded, and as if on cue, he immediately let me go and turned around in surprise. "Damn it to hell." He muttered.

I automatically slid unto the floor, my legs jelly and unable to support me.

"Who is it?" Edward called, his voice strangely rough, "Did I not ask for a minute alone with Isabella?"

My eyes were in a haze, but my ears heard the faint sound of chiming bells. "You certainly did, brother, but the grand thing about asking is the ability to decline. You asked for a minute alone, not whisking her away into some secret little room."

The door creaked open, and in came Alice, Edward's sister, bouncing. And as she did I seemed to notice how beautiful she was, and how my mind was screaming the word vampire at me when I saw her, and how I knew in my heart that that would be the reaction I would have for as long as I stayed in the palace.

She seemed to notice.

As she stared at me on the floor, unable to get up, panting, breathing, she seemed to _know_. In fact, it was like she already knew what would happen, because instead of the happy smile she usually seemed to dawn, her face became bleak.

"Isabella, dear," she whispered, reaching for me, "I believe that after breakfast we shall need to talk…I'm sure that's what you would want."

She gave a cold stare at Edward whose bitter face refused to change. As she reached for me I flinched, and the look on her face was more pained than anything else. After she grabbed my arm and pulled me up gently, I realized that my body was still jelly.

"I hate to ask you for favors Isabella, especially since you have just arrived, but I'm afraid that if I drag you into the hall, questions will arise. I need you to stand tall."

I could hear the double meaning in her words.

How pitiful, I thought, I must have looked as I just stood there with my knees buckling. And then I felt a burst of fire within me as I realized that he must have _loved_ it. I took a few seconds to breathe, just a few moments so I could clear my head, and it was in those few moments where I forced myself to gather any last bit of reason and strength that I could muster. "I just need to get away from _him_ for a moment," I croaked, blown away by how parched my voice sounded, "Just until I can…can absorb all of this."

I heard him scoff. "And what good will it do you if I leave?" he hissed, getting irritated, "You cannot run from your problems all the time—" he suddenly stopped, examining me as I kept my stare, and then he jeered, "But I guess that's asking too much of you. After all, running is what you thieves do best, isn't it?"

"Edward!" Alice whispered, horrified.

"No." I said, finding strength, "No he's right. I do run all the time. That's how I've had to live for as long as I can remember. But the difference is is that I'm _living_. "

The room was quiet for a time as his eyes flickered down. Cursing, he reached for the door knob but before he left whispered, "…and do not ever take that for granted, girl."

The door closed behind him, and as it did my heart stopped dead.

**Edward**

"The difference is that I'm living."

She had caught me off guard, her words ringing inside of my head over and over again. Of course technically she had been right. I have been alive for centuries now, long enough to have grown a tolerance for immature mortal minds, long enough to know that fighting back and bickering was nothing but a waste of time, of everlasting time.

But somehow…this girl, this Isabella, she brought out the worst in me.

The worst…or the real.

I could feel Alice's stare on my face as she tried to imagine what I would do next. But what this girl failed to realize is that yes, I have been alive a very long time. But in those years I have also been exposed to so many things, I have been denied the one thing I wanted most, the one thing she took for granted. Even with all these amazing powers and abilities, we were still weak, still unable to grasp the treasure that I would willingly and happily throw over all my immortality for.

Her _humanity_.

I cursed under my breath at how foolish I had been, how I had let this new found anger burst out of me, how I had told this girl our _secret,_ this family secret in which we had been hiding for centuries, for as long as I could remember, and in a matter of a day I had let it go, to someone I barely knew, someone I didn't _want_ to know.

How pitiful. How disgustingly pitiful.

I reached for the doorknob to leave, but before I did I couldn't stop myself from saying one last word.

"Do not take it for granted, girl."

I had to warn her. To let her know how precious life was.

And then I was gone.

The dining room became deathly quiet as my footsteps could be heard walking on the marble floor, my attitude turning from bitterness to despair. In my view I could see every person in their chairs, all watching me, waiting for some kind of explanation.

I was sure Alice didn't say a word to them, for she knew my actions even before I did. Even though I didn't want to admit it, if it wasn't for her coming in, I don't know what would have happened. That girl, she brought out this side to me I didn't know even existed. This arousal, this fear, this _excitement_. It was utterly confusing.

In any case I didn't stop as I reached the table, walking past all the anxious stares to the nearest exit.

"I'm terribly sorry for the interruption," I said quickly as I left, "But I seemed to have lost my appetite. But please, feel free to celebrate without Isabella and I."

I could hear Tanya let out a breath as I closed the door behind me.

Hah, what a hoax.

As if she could really let out something she could never have.

**Isabella**

I don't know what exactly happened after Alice came into the room, but I soon found myself inside a beautiful space filled with exquisite furniture, all white, and it seemed to be glittering.

"Gold dust." She chimed as if reading my mind, while walking across the room with a teapot, "I simply had to have it all around. It's so beautiful."

I didn't say anything, found myself unable to, and yet it was so much easier being around her. I couldn't explain it, but her aura was contagious.

"Here," she said, taking a seat next to me, "I asked the maids to make a very special tea. It'll make you stronger, I swear."

She filled the tea cup in front of me full, and I couldn't help but stare at it in hesitation. She seemed to notice this. "It's not poisoned." She smiled weakly, "I promise. You mean a lot to me, Isabella. I hope you can understand this, believe it. Edward has been in need of something—_someone_ like you for a long time now. I can't excuse his behavior, but you must realize that it's been a while since we've had…such intimate company with a human."

My heart skipped a beat as my head shot up, but Alice's face was still unchanged. Human?

Not her too.

It was getting more difficult by the second to pretend this vampire business was all just a joke. But at the same time, I knew it wasn't.

"Edward's told you already. I know. And there is no point in trying to hide it once you've heard it. I will not deny what we are, not anymore."

My hands were shaking, not from fear, as I reached over the table and grabbed my tea. I took a long sip, surprised by how strong it was. But I figured it was better that way: At least I knew I was still able to feel.

She smiled. "Drink up. I've noticed how frail you've gotten since you've arrived. And that's not good at all considering you're fragile to begin with. Mortals can break so easily."

I coughed. "Oh…"

We sat in silence for a few seconds, Alice staring me down, and of all the dumb things I could've thought of, the one thing on my mind was if she could hear my heart beat or not.

"You must have so many questions," she suddenly said, unconscious, "And I guess I must answer them all. I want you not to be afraid. It's absolutely vital you aren't."

Her eyes were pleading, and I found my guard coming down more and more each second. I felt like I could trust her, and even if I didn't, what other choice did I have? She was the only one who offered to talk to me—without the chances of death, anyway.

"I'm not scared." I assured, "I'm just…taken back. This has never—I would never have imagined people could take a joke this far, is all."

Her eyebrows rose. "_Joke_?"

I scooted closer to her. "Yes, a joke. I mean…do you really expect me to believe that you guys are a bunch of vampires? That picture of demon boy…it must have all been a joke. Vampires don't exist, they're nothing but old wives tales."

She bit her lip. "You best be wise not to say such things without feeling. How do you know vampires are nothing but myth? I suggest you start believing in these tales, Isabella, because this is real. And who…who is demon boy?"

"That snot brain of a brother of yours."

At this she laughed, but I was far from such an emotion. I felt sick. I tried to put this off as some kind of sick trick, an initiation of some kind, but it was getting harder and harder….especially since deep inside of me I knew the proof was there.

"He is usually the quiet, polite one." Alice spoke, her eyes thoughtful, "You just cause him to feel emotions he never knew he had, and because of this he feels resentment. Isabella, my dear, Edward is falling in love with you, and he doesn't even realize it yet. But believe me, I know."

The tea I was sipping spit out of my mouth and back into the cup, and if I didn't have my hand down I would've just let go of the plate altogether. What did she just say? Had she lost her mind?

"Your brother tried to kill me. And that crazy red head at the table. I don't know what kind of love you're referring to, but back in the village, we call that hate."

"Tanya…" Alice murmured, "She is a witch, that one. Never liked her. Jealousy is her strongest emotion, but she will not dare to hurt you while we are here. Vampires have a strict code of conduct we all follow, and even she is not immune to it, dear, not at all."

My head buzzed. "Stop." I said.

Alice looked up. "Excuse me?"

"Stop acting. Enough. I played along, but stop this whole vampire crap you keep spoofing out. Please."

"I assure you, I'm telling the truth."

"Oh ya?" I replied hotly, "Telling the truth? I may not have had some great education you could afford or whatnot, and I may not be the richest girl in the nation, but I'm not stupid. Vampires are legend, myth. They don't exist. It's not possible."

"Anything is possible, Isabella. You may be surprised what other 'legendary' creatures are actually reality.:"

"You're not going to quit are you?"

"I can't. Because then I'd be denying who I am. And I shall not any longer. It's ridiculous enough."

My heart pumped, and I wanted to leave the room. She was not letting this go. And each time she denied me, I felt my sanity slowly breaking little by little. "You have no proof.." I whispered, dizzy, "Nothing."

She sat quiet for a while, looking at me, and then smiled. Standing up, she reached for the table and pulled the knife she had used for the sandwiches. I put my guard up. Now SHE was trying to kill me? "Stab me with this." She gave me the knife, beckoning me, "Go ahead. As hard as you possibly can."

I trembled. "You're crazy," I spat, "No way."

"Really, Isabella, it's no trouble. And this is the only way to prove it to you."

"I'm not stabbing you."

"Please?"

"NO!"

Sighing, she pulled back the knife with a head shake. "And here I thought you would be courtesy." Without a warning, her hands flew wide, the knife aimed at her heart, and then she stabbed herself.

"NOOOOO!!" I shot up from my chair and rushed to her, pulling the knife back, only to find it was crumpled into a piece of scrap metal. Alice remained unhurt, seeming untouched, and she smiled. "Oh Isabella!" she laughed, "You seem to have doted on me already! The look of horror on your face was priceless my dear!"

Her laughter was like the sound of church bells ringing and ringing, beautiful church bells, but I stepped back, horrified. The knife laid a crumpled mess on the ground, and not even a scratch was on her. I trembled. I knew that would happen…and yet I did not want to believe it.

"Hold my hand." She ordered, reaching for me. She grabbed it, and I winced. She was ice cold. And hard. Like a rock. "No silly piece of metal can hurt me. I'm delighted to say that something really special must be used to take me down. And even then, it wouldn't be so easy."

The knees on my legs buckled, and I couldn't stand. I fell back unto the couch, my breathing coming out in short gasps. No, I thought, this couldn't be. It was impossible. Impossible. "Now do you believe me?" she chirped, glowing, "Now, no more of your nonsense about vampires not being real, please. You're hurting my feelings."

"Feelings?" I breathed, still not catching my breath.

"Of course!" Alice seemed outstounded by my apparent ignorance, her big eyes getting larger and larger. "Isabella, my dear, I wish nothing more but for us to be great friends. I know it is possible, I am in love with you already. Believe me, you will make an excellent addition to this family."

My arms steadied myself, and I had to close my eyes and breathe. Alice smelled like champagne, sweet bubbling champagne, with a sort of sugary floral scent. It was mouthwatering. In my mind I imagined all the sorrows I had been through, losing Jacob, my father's trust, my physical and mental pride, my dignity…all of this, and I was to become a part of this _family_? How could I let myself? My heart was already overpowered. In all the chaos of the moment, I felt a tear fall onto my hand. And soon enough after that, I began to cry. I tried to stop, tried to move my eyes up and down and left to right of the room to hold it back, but I couldn't stop water from falling. I felt a cool touch. Looking up, Alice's beaming face became soft, and I could tell she really wanted to make this work. "I can't speak for Edward," she whispered, soothing me, "but I can speak for myself. Isabella…I have the power of seeing the future. It may not always be accurate, but ninety five percent of the time it is. My family…we have been in the dark for a long time now. And when I saw you in my vision, you were this beaming light that we have needed for a long time now. If you leave now, I fear the worst."

Her hand on mine was really refreshing, since my body became unbearably hot with anxiety, and my eyes were glued on hers. It seemed as though _she _was the one that needed my help, not the other way around. "What do you fear?" I muttered, "What can you possibly be afraid of?"

She became hesitant, and her grip became tighter. "I'm afraid of losing everything." Was her simple reply, "Isabella, the Cullen's are nothing more but our family itself. And I see a dark future ahead of us. I believe you were sent to save us. I cannot go through this world alone, not for an eternity of restless wandering."—her eyes became weak—"At least at some point you will die, and your pain will leave with you. But for us…we must carry the pain of loneliness till the end of time. And I could not bear for that to happen to me again. Please. Tell me you will at least stay for a bit longer, and make your decision then."

What a compromising decision. Even though I had just met her, Alice was already my strongest ally. Inside of my heart, I knew what she was saying was true, genuine, and I could not argue with her. She did not ask me to stay forever. Just until I made up my mind. "Only for a little while," I blubbered, not seeing clearly, "I can only promise you that."

"OH ISAISABELLA! THANK YOU!!!" Alice pounced on me, hugging me into a tight grip, and even with my tears I managed to cough out a laugh. Her joy was so contagious. "I will not leave your side." She determined, after the joy, "But I already know Jasper and Emmett will adore you. Rosalie…maybe you will need to work on that, but Carlisle and Esme will love you instantly!..."

Alice kept going on and on, but all I could do was sit stiff, taking it all in. It was about time I asked her some real questions, about time I wrapped my mind around this whole vampire thing. "Oh Isabella," Alice chirped suddenly, remembering something very important.

"Hmmmm?"

"Will you let me choose your ball gown? I would simply _adore_ it if you did!"

My heart stopped. "Ball gown?" I said, "I could never afford one—wait. Why do I need one?"

She smiled. "For the presentation ball, of course! We have not had one in over centuries now!"

I felt sweaty, the word centuries pounding in my brain. I was still going to have to get used to this. "Can I pass this up?" I pleaded, "I'm not good at dancing."

"Of course not! This ball is in your honor. You must be there!"

"My honor? What for?"

"For being the next queen of the nation! Of course!"

I threw up in my mouth a little, feeling dizzy. Oh no, this could not be happening. Not only did this mean I would be the pin up princess I never wanted to be, but it also meant that EVERYBODY would see me. My mother, my friends,…and Jacob.

"Oh he hasn't made the announcement yet," Alice cheered, bouncing on her bed, grabbing my hands to join her, "But I already see it in the future. OHHHHH Isabella believe me you will be INCREDIBLE!"

What happened next I couldn't be sure of. Next thing I knew I was inside of the bathroom, door locked behind me as Alice knocked and knocked. "Isabella! Isabella!" she yelled, getting worried, "Are you Ok?"

I had to be alone. Not just because I was going to go crazy, but because being alone made it possible for me to believe I was still normal. That outside of that door was my room, and my friends, and my Jacob. That my life was what it was. But with each pound that Alice shot through the door, my dreams broke into millions of tiny pieces.

"Alice!" I snapped, and as I did the door fell silent instantly, "One thing."

"Yes?" she asked, hesitant.

"Call me Bella."

**Author Note:** Please don't kill me. If you love my stories, then you won't. Sorry for dying for like five months, but give me a break. It's summer vacation. Next chapter I will upload is the seven seas. It'll switch off from story to story to keep it fair.


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